An expedition cruise company owned by a Cape Bretoner plans to launch exotic trips to the Arctic and Antarctic out of the Port of Sydney.
Andrew Prossin, founder and CEO of One Ocean’s Expeditions, say his company's ships will soon start and finish voyages where he grew up.
He says making the announcement on Monday was a career highlight.
"I was nervous with excitement standing up there being able to make the announcement,” Prossin says. “Imagine going away, building a business, and then being able to take that to your small hometown."
But Prossin says some changes need to happen at the port first, including construction of a promised second cruise berth and a place for One Ocean's ships to refuel.
The company says it currently spends between $5 million and $6 million provisioning its ships out of Halifax, but that money will soon be taken to Sydney.
"It means thousands of more visitors coming here,” says Cape Breton Regional Municipality Deputy Mayor Cecil Clarke. “We can showcase the island and improve the economics of our tourism industry.”
While bringing the extra funds could be considered a coup for the Port of Sydney, many others are keeping a close eye on the development of a new container terminal.
"All the information we require for industry to make informed decisions is in place at this time,” said Clarke. “It's now over to the shippers and the marketers and developers of the port, and they're well on that job right now."
There is hope that if One Ocean’s is successful in Cape Breton, other companies in its niche market might follow suit.
"What I want to do is take Sydney and bring that to all of my competitors. I could use a little competition here," said Prossin.
The first passenger voyage out of Sydney to the Antarctic is currently set for November of next year.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Ryan MacDonald.
