Cruise ship Noordam returns to Gisborne

Can someone please answer the question l have repeatedly asked about tourism ships of all sizes. Why can’t the big ones (with the aid of our local tugs) simply be backed in if they are too big to be turned in the inner harbour?
If these ships were able to dock at the wharf berth currently used almost exclusively by logging vessels - as some of the smaller ones already do - it would eradicate the need to ferry the visitors from the harbour anchorage to the wharf and also, but more importantly, avoid the annual bypass due to stormy weather. Some years we lose around half of the thousands who go on to spend their money in Napier.
It amazes me that this valuable tourism trade is so vulnerable to our own port company decisions that appear to favour the logging ships, especially given the relatively little we have to offer these seafaring tourists when they finally do set foot on our soil. We should be doing all we can to secure their patronage.
Surely we can find a way to accommodate them all.

Footnote response from Eastland Port:
We would love to be able to berth larger cruise ships but the channel is not wide enough for large vessels to back in. The largest cruise ship we can berth is 200m long and they are more susceptible to windy conditions due to their height. Not to mention, some cruise ships prefer to tender as it provides a unique experience sailing into our beautiful bay.
With Wharf 7 now fully operational, we are thrilled to have seen seven cruise ships berth of the 17 that have visited this cruise season. The number of cruise ships visiting our region is increasing year on year which is why we have made a significant investment into improving the overall disembarking experience.