FREEPORT, Grand Bahama – Minister Miller told the Bahama Journal recently that the government is prepared to give the project a “new” look if the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) considers building a new cruise facility at the harbour
Government officials believe that it would be unwise to have cruise ships pulling into port near an LNG terminal.
Meanwhile, the proposed LNG terminal has prompted a meeting between the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) and Tractebel officials in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida scheduled for later this month.
Tractebel proposes to build its $700 million LNG facility on the site of the former Bahamas Cement Company. This site borders the western side of the harbour’s entrance, directly overlooking cruise ships that berth at the harbour.
According to Executive Vice President of the GBPA Barry Malcolm, engineers from each of the major cruise lines in the FCCA will meet this month with Tractebel’s marine engineers to discuss the energy giant’s plans within Freeport’s maritime centre.
He told the Bahama Journal, “The Port Authority as it should, has moved to involve all major stakeholders, and we assisted Tractebel in setting up this meeting, so that the cruise industry will have an opportunity to understand the Tractebel operation.
“They will also have an opportunity to make an independent assessment as to whether or not Tractebel’s operations might in any way impact their tourism operations in the harbour.”
Formed in 1972, the FCCA is made up of 15 member cruise lines that discuss issues relating to legislation, tourism development, ports, safety, security and other cruise industry issues.
Major cruise lines, including Carnival, Holland America, Disney and Royal Caribbean are part of the FCCA.
Minister Miller said that, “In recent discussions with GBPA executives, they have given some indication that they are prepared to have the cruise ships berth at another location.
“That being the case and along with determinations by the BEST Commission, my Ministry and the government will be prepared to take a more considered view of the project.”
But Mr. Malcolm told the Journal that the Port has not made definitive plans to build a new cruise facility at this stage, since GBPA assessments of Tractebel’s EIA are still ongoing.
“We have looked at the possibility [of building a new facility] for some time now, but we have made no decision at this stage,” he said. “The door is not closed to building a facility off Lucaya or elsewhere on Grand Bahama, but the assessment of that scenario would be part of the fuller assessments of Tractebel’s operations on the harbour.”
Minister Miller said that out of recent talks with GBPA executives, a plan was discussed proposing that a new cruise facility be built.
He indicated that the Port might consider the option of building the facility in a different location.
Minister Miller also indicated that in the interest of protecting sealift, another option might be building a new cruise facility that would be completed by the time the LNG facility is finished.
Five cruise ships currently call on the Freeport Harbour – two of them daily.
The Grand Bahama Port Authority has been a strong ally of Tractebel, pledging its full support in seeing the energy giant secure government approval for its Calypso pipeline project.
And until now, GBPA executives had not indicated that the proposed LNG construction site might become questionable.
In fact, over the past year, Port Authority executives have touted the success of Tractebel’s operations in the Boston (Massachusetts) Harbour, and said the Freeport Harbour is the ideal location for the company’s LNG facility.
Although Mr. Malcolm stressed that GBPA assessments of Tractebel’s EIA are not complete, detailed plans for construction off the harbour continue, with Tractebel officials agreeing to remediate the Bahamas Cement site, making it environmentally sound after years of inactivity.
Minister Miller re-iterated that Cabinet has not yet granted approval for any of the proposed LNG projects currently before the government.
According to Mr. Malcolm, Freeport has been structured and operated to ensure an effective co-existence between its bustling industrial base and its growing tourism market.
He maintains that this cohesion is not about to change.
“We are trying to proceed very methodically and scientifically in looking at the impact of the continued industrial development of the Freeport Harbour on the tourism side, and after the assessments we will determine if building a new cruise facility is in fact the best option,” he said.
The GBPA expects to complete its assessment of Tractebel’s EIA by March.
Sharon Williams, The Bahama Journal
