PLYMOUTH needs to make better use of its waterfront, including laying on facilities for cruise liners, say maritime experts.

Nearly one worker in five in the city is directly or indirectly employed in the marine sector, according to the first 'holistic' study of the four ports that make up Plymouth — Devonport, Millbay, Sutton Harbour and the Cattewater.

With many higher-paid jobs in marine industries, the sector contributes a quarter of the city's economy, an in-depth study by consultants Atkins Ltd found.

The study, the first of its kind to bring together all 29 marine sector 'stakeholders', is the first step towards producing a masterplan for the Port of Plymouth.

It was commissioned by Plymouth City Council last November.

Kaja Curry, coastal planning co-ordinator at the council, told councillors that work was going on to assess whether a cruise liner facility was feasible.

Councillor Ted Fry, the city's Cabinet member for planning and economic development, said the trend towards small cruise liners could benefit Plymouth.

Members of the council's growth and prosperity overview and scrutiny panel were told that nearly 60,000 vessel movements, not counting ordinary recreational boating, had been recorded in 2009.

The Royal Navy and the defence contractors Serco Marine Services between them accounted for 75 per cent of those, with tour boats and ferries responsible for another 20 per cent.

The number of commercial ship arrivals was relatively stable, reaching a peak of 1,262 in 2003. Ms Curry said tankers made up the bulk of the commercial traffic: "If you put fuel into your car anywhere between Falmouth and Exeter, it will have come through Plymouth", she said.

Panel chairman Councillor Patrick Nicholson called for a review of housing policies in the light of the report, and amid concerns that too much potential employment land was being sold for housing.

Ms Curry assured councillors worried about the future of Devonport that the Naval Base represented 'such a range of defence activities that the MoD will not be able to simply turn the tap off'.

The experts, companies and agencies consulted during the study came up with five possible scenarios for the future of the port.

'Business as usual' and radical restructuring are considered but discounted.

Instead the report suggests either 'targeted diversification' or a 'major step change', with re-use of Devonport land and waterfront.

Under the first option the ports would aim to diversify into the renewable energy sector and build a new cruise liner facility.

This would require some release of land from Devonport and investment in port facilities.

The more ambitious goal would see Plymouth aggressively expanding commercial and leisure activities.

This could include building a container facility, increasing the size of bulk cargo vessels using the ports and developing a cruise liner facility, a new marina and leisure facilities.

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