Ships moored at Melbourne’s Station Pier evacuated over bomb fears

UPDATE: Ferry and cruise ship passengers have been allowed back on board after they were evacuated earlier over bomb fears.

Noordam, Prestige Travel, for Adelaide Matters

PASSENGERS from two cruise ships that were evacuated following a bomb scare have been allowed back on board.

The vessels were forced to dock at Melbourne’s Station Pier earlier today after sniffer dogs picked up a suspicious smell.

Police say no suspicious object has been found but the sniffer dogs responded to the scent while on a routine patrol at the pier, Melbourne’s main passenger shipping terminal.

A Victorian police spokeswoman told news.com.au police conducted searches but were unable to find anything.

Passengers were allowed back on board at about 4.30pm.

Earlier, Shadie Farah, who works at the D’Lish Fish takeaway shop at the pier, said police told him explosives had been found.

“The cops have blocked everything off. They told us that explosives have been found on one of the boats,” Me Farah told AAP.

“There are heaps of people. They’ve stopped the trams and everything’s blocked off.”

Michelina, who works at the nearby Beacon Cove Foodstore, said police had not told her about the nature of the emergency.

“There are a few hundred people out there,” she said.

“They’ve taken all the workers off the pier and there are a lot of people just observing.”

Port of Melbourne Corporation chief executive Nick Easy said the two ships evacuated were the Spirit of Tasmania and a cruise ship, the MS Noordam.

“Those two vessels are berthed at the pier and both were scheduled to depart at 5.30pm but they won’t do so now until the area is cleared by Victoria Police,” Mr Easy said.

The MS Noordam is a Dutch-registered cruise ship operated by the Holland America Line.

The cruise liner Noordam arrived at Station Pier on Friday morning.