A $213.5m expansion of the Port of Bridgetown has come on stream with the commissioning of Berth 6, a development officials said Thursday will significantly boost Barbados’ cargo capacity, improve efficiency and support growing regional and global shipping demands.
Chairman of Barbados Port Inc. Peter Odle said the new berth represents a major investment in the future of trade, logistics and cruise tourism.
At the official commissioning ceremony, Odle reflected on the port’s history while outlining how the latest expansion positions Barbados to meet growing global shipping demands.
“The completion of the deepwater harbour at a cost of approximately $28m in 1961 had been hailed as the greatest and most rewarding engineering and developmental project done by a government in Barbados to date,” he said.
Noting that the maritime industry has evolved significantly over the past six decades, Odle said Barbados has managed to remain competitive through diversification and continuous upgrades.
“The world has changed immensely since 1961, and it is only the fact that we have succeeded in keeping pace with this extraordinary transition that we remain an outstanding multi-purpose port.”
Odle added that continued infrastructure improvements and diversification strategies have laid the foundation for future economic growth while allowing the port to adapt to increasing ship sizes and changing industry demands.
He described the new berth project, valued at $213.5m inclusive of infrastructure, cranes and equipment, as evidence of Barbados Port Inc.’s commitment to a “bold and ambitious vision for the future of international trade, logistics, and cruise tourism in Barbados”.
The new Berth 6 extends 315 metres north from Berth 5 and has a depth of 13 metres. It is intended primarily for cargo vessels, freeing up other berths for cruise ship traffic during the busy winter tourist season from November to April.
“This allows for increased operational efficiency, optimises use of existing space and allows us to meet increasing future berthing requirements and container throughput demands,” he said.
The project also includes 9.4 acres of additional container yard space equipped with supporting infrastructure including reefer plugs, lighting, potable water and electrical systems.
The development has increased the port’s static yard capacity by 40 per cent, with container slots rising from 230 000 to 345 000 using the existing straddle carrier system, Odle said.
The berth is capable of accommodating two Panamax gantry cranes, allowing two vessels to be serviced simultaneously, he added.
The facility has also been designed to support the future introduction of rubber-tyred gantries (RTGs), which Odle said would further increase stacking capacity and boost container slots to approximately 460 000 through a hybrid straddle carrier and RTG system.
“Our growth and infrastructure expansion continue, buoyed by a stream of new industry demands and the ever-growing numbers and size of ships,” Odle said.
(SB)
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