By
Alex Smith |
Antigua Cruise Port has completed construction of a new pier at St John’s Port, which increases the number of berths at the port to five. The pier represents a $30 million investment, and forms part of the $80 million agreement signed in 2019 between Global Ports Holding and the Government of Antigua and Barbuda to redevelop the cruise complex.
“Global Ports Holding has successfully delivered on its commitment to complete the fifth berth and has repaid $21 million of debt on behalf of the government,” said Dona Regis-Prosper, general manager of Antigua Cruise Port. “We were especially thrilled to have maintained our construction timeline and finalised the pier project during the pandemic. Our construction team, port employees, and other partners worked tirelessly to ensure that we remained on schedule and finished the job.”
The port has seen an increase in bookings following the construction of the fifth berth, with current projections suggesting that an estimated 285,000 passengers could visit Antigua between October and December of 2021. The port is now collaborating with the Government of Antigua and Barbuda to develop new health protocols for the restart of sailing.
“This new business will complement our plan to convert Antigua Cruise Port into a home port by 2023, an idea which has piqued the interest of several major cruise lines,” said Regis-Prosper. “Our next area of focus is the $2 million uplift of the Heritage Quay Shopping Mall and the $25 million commercial development at Pointe. This expansion will create more opportunities for local entrepreneurs, which will, by extension, make a significant impact on the community.”