The Barbados Port Inc. (BPI) has recently spent over $2 million to upgrade its cruise infrastructure.
Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Ian Gooding-Edghill, made this disclosure on Sunday as he addressed a ceremony to welcome TUI’s Marella Voyager to Barbados at the Port of Bridgetown.
With an anticipated busy cruise 2023/2024 season, Mr. Gooding-Edghill indicated that the enhancements were made to ensure that the BPI’s operations were efficient, safe and environmentally friendly. These upgrades, he said, were also timely, as the country continues to see an upward trend in its cruise sector.
“I am pleased to speak about the enhancements here at the Bridgetown Port. Our aim is to ensure that workers, visitors, and locals can come to the port and have a smooth experience.
The 2020 to 2030 master plan was crafted to ensure the port is safer, environmentally attractive, and friendly to visitors; and can handle any expansion of the cruise business,” the Minister noted.
He also shared that the new Berth Six construction project, which began in January 2023, “should be completed next year July, and we will spend approximately over a $100 million in getting that berth completed”.
The Minister also disclosed that two mooring points for small vessels at Speightstown are in the works, and plans are also in train to add four mooring points for larger yachts to dock on the West Coast; as the yacht experience is becoming more popular in Barbados.
Barbados’ projections for the winter cruise 2023/2024 season stand at 396 cruise calls with an estimated 722,001 passengers, up from last season’s 358 calls with 608,583 passengers.