Alternative docking facilities for the Montserrat Ferry is under consideration says Premier Donaldson Romeo.
Romeo, who is also Minister of Tourism, said Antigua & Barbuda prime minister, the Hon Gaston Browne has written to the Office of the Premier (OoP) to confirm that “The docking of the Montserrat Ferry at the Port of St. John’s must be relocated due to the dredging and expansion project taking place. In the letter to the OoP dated February 14, 2019, Honourable Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua has also confirmed that, following Montserratian authorisation, technicians from the Antigua Port Authority will start a series of consultations with local Montserrat counterparts, to determine where best to relocate the new docking facility in the St. John’s Harbour.
The Government of Antigua and Barbuda has entered into an agreement with Global Ports Holding LLC (GPH) to invest over US$80 million dollars in the further development of the cruise tourism port in St. John’s.
Global Ports will ensure that the completion of the dredging, already underway in the St. John’s Harbour, will allow the Oasis Class Ships, capable of carrying more than 6,000 passengers and 4,000 crew, to dock at a fifth berth parallel to the Point Wharf.
It is estimated that the number of cruise ships entering the St. John’s Harbour will also increase, and that the passenger base will be diversified. At the moment, the overwhelming majority of passengers come from the USA. Global Ports will increase the flow of cruise tourists from Europe. Global Ports operates many ports in Europe and has been able to increase their performance as cruise tourism ports.
The thirty-year agreement with Global Ports is expected to bring many benefits to the Antigua and Barbuda economy.
The Antiguan Prime Minister regrets the need for the relocation but has committed, as stated by Premier Romeo in a prior news report, to a relocation that allows for a superior terminal to be constructed that is a cheaper alternative because of government collaboration.
