Transport Minister Terry Lister stressed last night that Government has no plans to increase the number of cruise ship visitors beyond the 400,000 a year range.“We intend to cap the number of tourists on cruise ships in the 400,000 range,” he said. “To me, it’s vital that we bring business to the towns the City of Hamilton, the Town of St. George’s deserve to have business. “And if we can help by having cruise ships that go to St. Georges and Hamilton, we certainly want to do that if it can happen.”His comments came at the end of a three hour town hall meeting at Penno’s Wharf to seek public feedback on Government’s study on Bermuda’s Shipping channels.The study looks at options facing Bermuda if the island is to accommodate larger cruise ships which are becoming the industry norm.Of the 165 cruise ships in service globally, just 26 were capable of transiting Town Cut, St. Georges or Hamilton, the audience was told. Modifying the channels to allow larger ships to dock in Hamilton and St George’s would mean significant environmental impacts, the study notes.Audience members expressed a range of views on the options presented.Discussion was robust and a fair amount of concern was expressed about environmental impacts, while others noted that the economic benefits should be paramount.“I’d say the destruction of precious land is absurd,” said one man. “I’d like to ask anyone here in his right mind who would vote to destruction.”“We’re following these cruise ship companies that are growing bigger and bigger,” said one man. “So why not invest in a decommissioned ship, retrofit and have it custom built for Bermuda, so your experience starts at the port of embarkation.“And all the money that we collect, that we need to make our economy run, stays with us instead of going to someone else.”Mr. Lister agreed that the private sector could play a role.