A recent assessment on the Cruise Ship Berth has caused the Government to consider the extension of the structure.
Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, while delivering the 2015 Budget in the House of Assembly on January 28, disclosed that a study has concluded that the berth is too short to accommodate over 80 per cent of the cruise ships expected to visit the Caribbean in the period 2016-2017.{{more}}
As a result, a project, which experts say may cost approximately EC$6 million in the preliminary stages, is being drafted by the St Vincent and the Grenadines Port Authority.
âThe project to extend the Pier has two dimensions: additional mooring dolphins extending some 50 metres to the south of the pier and the extension of the deck to allow for additional landing and loading bays,â Gonsalves explained.
The Minister with responsibility for seaports indicated that carrying out this project may also result in the enlargement of the Cruise Terminal itself, with the main goal of enhancing and better accommodating the anticipated increase in the number of passengers per vessel.
Furthermore, Gonsalves stated that the SVG Port Authority was actively pursuing the best approaches to achieve these goals, as such projects are not without their challenges.
âOne of the challenges in the project to extend the Cruise Ship Pier is the depth of the water to the southern end of the pier itself. Falling sharply from 30 metres to 50 metres, the depth requires technology that is not generally found in St Vincent and the Grenadines. The Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) has been partnering in the discussion on this matter with the SVG Port Authority, the Ministry of Works and BRAGSA,â the Prime Minister said.
Gonsalves stressed that the port development was an area of importance and revealed that a final proposal from the SVG Port Authority should be presented to him within the first quarter of 2015.
The Prime Minister also indicated that additional port development is being considered across the multi-island state. These include the refurbishment and strengthening of the Campden Park Container Port and the development of a ferry berth facility at Taffia Bay in Canouan. (BK)
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