written by
Norman Hart
Antigua Cruise Port announced in a press statement this week that the construction of its fifth berth, the newest pier at St John’s Port, Antigua is completed. According to the statement, the $30 million investment was started before the pandemic and finalized in November 2020, despite “minimal interruption created by the unwelcome virus.”
The pier work was 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, which was tied to the construction of the Nevis Street Pier,” said the General Manager of Antigua Cruise Port, Dona Regis-Prosper. “We were Happy to have maintained our construction timeline and finalized 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. Now that the cruise lines are aware that there is more berth space in Antigua, we are receiving more bookings from cruise lines that want to offer itineraries that include our destination. This includes calls with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, who are very interested in bringing passengers here on Oasis Class ships now that the fifth berth can accommodate these massive vessels,” she said.
According to the port’s current projections, some 285,000 passengers could visit Antigua between October and December of 2021, “depending on when cruising resumes and the weather.”
“We have also commenced discussions with cruise lines that have not historically called on Antigua but are interested in coming here based on what we have created and on our plans for further redevelopment of the cruise complex … 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,” Regis-Prosper said.
Antigua Cruise Port is collaborating with the government to develop new health protocols for the port. At this rate Antigua and Barbuda will become an even more popular getaway..
pictures by Norman Hart
Antigua Cruise Port
