New pier to finish
ahead of schedule
~ 50 per cent of pier completed ~
POINTE BLANCHE--As European shipbuilders hammer away on the first 220,000 tonne mega cruise ship that will set sail in 2009, fifty per cent for the only pier in the Caribbean being built to accommodate these behemoths was completed in St. Maarten this week.
The construction of the new, 445-metre long, 21-metre wide pier will be finished up ahead of schedule, despite a slight delay early in the project, according to Project Manager André Verhaag of contractor Ballast Nedam/Per Aarsleff.
“We are trying to finish up before the beginning of the construction holidays.” To catch up, extra insurance was taken to continue work on the pier and the expansion of the cargo area. The gamble has so far paid off, because the weather has been good.
To mark the halfway point in the pier construction, the contractor teamed up with Heineken Saturday to treat the some 200 workers who labour on the project, some mostly at night. Verhaag explained that the special type of cement needed for the pier can only be combined at night, after the neighbouring cement plant has completed its order of regular building cement.
Good cooperation between Ballast Nedam/Per Aarsleff and sub-contractors such as Energizer N.V. and the Heavy Equipment Operators is credited for the swift and efficient execution of the work on the pier. Verhaag said, “We are very pleased with the cooperation we have got and the workers are good too. This is the reason we thought a little celebration was in order.”
The first sheet pile of the new pier, juxtaposed to the existing one, was driven by Carnival Corporation Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mickey Arison to signal the official start of works on December 27, 2007.
Carnival Corporation & PLC loaned St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies US $34.5 million for the expansion venture, while Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL) has put up US $5 million. The remainder of the funds was derived from refinancing existing harbour loans with RBTT Bank.
Harbour Affairs Commissioner Theo Heyliger was very keen to have the destination ready for the new class of cruise vessels. He said keeping up with industry trends is a must and staying one step ahead of the competition is a necessity to keep the island in the two, three ports ranking in the Caribbean and the top twenty in the world.
Cruise passengers account for a significant amount of revenue on the island with over 1.4 million visiting each year. The last Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) commissioned cruise expenditure study found that St. Maarten was the port that passengers spent the second highest amount in, next to St. Thomas. Crew members left more cash here than in any other destination in the region.
