The Belfast City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to limit the size of cruise ships that are allowed to dock.
The vote follows a recommendation from Harbor Master Katherine Given who raised concerns about safety and navigation connected with the eight larger passenger ships that docked last summer and the tour busses that transport the visitors to neighboring cities.
Given said the committee decided there was no way to solve these problems outside of limiting the size of the boats allowed into port to 50 passengers.
"The channel can't move, we have limited dock space, there's no bus parking so as much as we thought about trying to work things out, it just can't happen" said Given.
An official with the local chamber of commerce said due in part to the tour busses, cruise ship passengers no longer have the economic impact they once did.
Given expects the city will recoup much of the $20,000 revenue from lost dock fees through alternate uses.
American Cruise Lines, the main line that visits Belfast, had asked the council to table the issue.
