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Tag Archive: berthing facility

New Cruise Port ‘Full Steam Ahead’

Plans for a new cruise port in George Town are going ‘full steam ahead’, according to the Cayman Island Government.

Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin made the announcement at the Chamber of Commerce Legislative Luncheon on Wednesday (30th of September).

The Cruise berthing has been the most controversial and divisive issue to face Cayman in recent years. Do the concerns over the damage to the coral reefs outweigh the many hundreds of people and families who rely on jobs created as a result of cruise tourism, and continue to rely on them for years to come ?

Eighty-five percent of tourists arrive to the islands by sea. At the moment the cruise ships must anchor offshore and taxi passengers to the shore. The new port includes docking and direct access to the shore.

Plans for a cable car style ‘Cayman’s Sky Bridge’ were proposed in August by the GreenTech Group, which would have seen passengers transported to the shore from two piers fixed to the sea bed outside the reef line. It would appear however, that the Cayman Government has dismissed that proposal for its original, more traditional one. (more…)

Cayman Sky Bridge proposal

The big conversation in Grand Cayman at the moment is what to do with the cruise port.

It is widely agreed that the port needs expanding but environmentalists and locals have raised massive concerns over the damage the proposed new berthing port would do to acres of reef and animal habitats.

Currently, the Cayman Government has proposed a $250 million berthing facility that would fit up to four cruise ships with access directly to the shore. That proposal looks very much in doubt after an environmental impact statement was released 9th of June. It was estimated that around 15 acres of reef would be completely destroyed with another 20 acres negatively affected.

The impact of the project would affect Georgetown Harbor’s snorkeling, scuba diving, boat tours, recreational fishing, and other marine activities that brings between CI$19 million to CI$22 million annually to the Cayman Islands. (more…)