Dredging of Bermuda’s Shipping Channels to Start Soon

Dredging work on Bermuda’s shipping channels could begin as early as this year, according to Transport Minister Shawn Crockwell.

He told the Bermuda Sun Government was also looking at less invasive modification options to Town Cut to bring a cruise ship back to St George’s.

A series of surveys and environmental studies of the island’s shipping channels have been undertaken over the last 12 months with a view to accommodating a new era of larger liners.

And although Mr. Crockwell would not say which of the three dredging models would be followed, he confirmed that work was expected to begin soon.

Bermuda recently missed out on the possibility of hosting Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas in 2015 because the current shipping channels could not safely accommodate the vessel.

But Mr. Crockwell said he remains confident that the mega-ship will come to Bermuda in 2016.

He told the Sun: “It was disappointing to lose the Quantum of the Seas — but we understand the delay in hopefully bringing the ship to Bermuda.

It has been several years since St George’s has welcomed a regular cruise liner, but Mr. Crockwell said Government was looking to ‘less invasive and disruptive’ modifications to Town Cut to solve the problem.

He told the Sun that the ideal time to look at these options would be when dredging experts were in Bermuda to conduct modifications to the shipping channels.

Source: The Bermuda Sun