$1 billion master plan ‘still on’

A one-billion-dollar master plan for the Bridgetown Port is still on the drawing board, Chief Executive of the Barbados Port Inc. David Jean-Marie has said.

The master plan, to take place over the next decade, is expected to see its record number of more than 800,000 cruise passengers annually increasing to about two million.

An intended private/public sector upgrade, which was to start last year but was delayed, would result in the long-promised separation of cruise from cargo, the reclaiming of land and building of new berths, among other things.

“That plan envisions right now, $1 billion of major capital works over the next ten years. Not that we intend to expend $1 billion on our own,” declared Jean-Marie, who said officials were seeking to have government spend “around US$150 million”.

“We intend to create new partnerships in the form of PPP (private-public partnership) – bringing a number of private sector entities into play, create the structure at the port – we call it the second wage of corporatization, in which we will set up a number of companies. We intend to democratize the ownership interest, create structures that would enable Barbadians to invest in the port,” he said.

Pointing to the Port’s vision of becoming the most innovative and green maritime hub by 2030, he said the Port’s master plan was being revised “and by the first month of the new financial year we will have a new port master plan”.

Jean-Marie said: “For example, we are talking about an enhanced marina at the shallow draft facility. Currently, we have a jetty there that accommodates about 30 catamarans and small crafts. It is our intention to double the capacity in that area by a form of PPP, incorporate the careenage facilities there and create the entity in that Barbadians can invest in and earn revenues. There is a demand for that kind of facility in Barbados.

“So we are looking to build an aggregate berth and that will also serve as safe harbour for boats in terms of bad weather.”

Planners have already done their analysis and “determined that the Port would move from 800,000 to two million [cruise passengers annually]”, according to the port boss.

Jean-Marie said: “We have identified an area to the south of the existing port where we are going to build a new cruise facility in a phased manner.

“So currently we are in discussions with major cruise lines who have an interest in investing in Barbados and in the port facilities.”

The port is working closely with the Commonwealth Secretariat on the logistics flow to iron out any existing bottlenecks at the port, he said.

Port officials are also working with the Caribbean Development Bank to come up with a system that could provide more linkages to various departments and organizations in an effort to eliminate some of the steps involved in doing business with the port, he added.

The plan to build a cruise facility in Speightstown is still a go, Jean-Marie said, adding that a request for proposals is to be issued to the six firms that submitted an expression of interest for that project.
marlonmadden@barbadostoday.bb