Construction Antigua’s new pier at Heritage Quay in St John’s is moving “full speed ahead,” officials told Caribbean Journal Invest.
The new pier, which is being built by Meridian Construction, is about 60 percent complete, according to David Corbella, principal marine engineer at Global Ports Holding, which manages the port.
“After the government curfew was enacted, the team suspended construction for a few days and incorporated several precautionary measures. We established day and night shifts to reduce the number of people working on the site at any given time, in addition to establishing social distancing protocols,” Corbella said. “We have reduced the daytime crews to 50 people and the nighttime crew to 25 people at any given time. We have also added shifts to ensure that the project stays on schedule as much as possible.”
The ship berthing area has already been dredged to almost 50 percent of the required depth; upon completion, the harbor will be dredged to a depth of 10.7 meters.
Once completed the New Pier will be able to accommodate the largest ships in the cruise industry, with a potential capacity of 1 million passengers per year.
The pier expansion is part of a wider port transformation that will include new retail and food and beverage facilities, along with an additional 50,000 square feet of commercial space.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to deliver significant economic benefits to Antigua & Barbuda and to create a stunning, world-class port facility that will be primed and ready to accommodate those Oasis-class ships and more as the industry begins to rebound,” said Dona Lisel Regis- Prosper, General Manager of Antigua Cruise Port.
— CJI
