By
Cherie Rowlands |
The Government of Bermuda is having discussions with cruise lines to assess the feasibility of developing a pier in the country's East End, with the Murray’s Anchorage area on the north shore of St George’s Island a possible site.
Transport minister Walter Roban said: “The purpose of these early discussions with the cruise lines is to explore the feasibility of a cruise pier and possible funding alternatives. Because of the sensitivity of discussions I cannot reveal the cruise lines we are having discussions with today, but consultation will soon begin with the Corporation of St George’s and other stakeholder groups, to get their input into the process.”
Discussion is to centre around appropriate locations for a cruise pier in the Murray’s Anchorage area, whether ships’ deployment schedules could incorporate both the East End and Royal Naval dockyard so cruise passengers could visit different ports in Bermuda, the importance of a cruise project to the development of the East End hub – particularly the under-utilised destinations of St George’s and St David’s – and whether there are small cruise ships available to transit Town Cut before entering St David’s without the need for significant infrastructure modifications. A 2009 channel study found that decreasing numbers of cruise ships can safely navigate Town Cut, but the Government remains hopeful of finding a vessel that can, said Roban.
Although the Government has decided not to undertake any significant modifications on the approaches to Hamilton Harbour or widen Town Cut in St George’s, the National Tourism Plan presented earlier in 2012 identified St George’s as a major tourism hub. There have been no regular cruise calls to St George’s since Norwegian Majesty was sold in 2009. The Government believes reinstating a cruise ship presence in the East End will revitalise the local economy and create much-needed jobs.
“We hope to find solutions to reinstating a cruise ship presence in the East End. We have a commitment to the people of the East End to provide them with direct economic benefits of our cruise product,” Roban said.
Bermuda is made up of 181 mostly-uninhabited islands, islets and rocks that extend for no more than 21 square miles. The country’s 'Historic Town of St George and Related Fortifications' were designated a World Heritage Site by Unesco in December 2000.