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Infrastructure: Sept-Îles, U.S. Virgin Islands

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Sept-Îles Takes Delivery of Two Massive Shiploaders


Heavy lift vessel M/V Happy Star delivering two shiploaders to the Port of Sept-Iles' multi-user dock on an icy February day.
Photo/Carl Allard


Two gigantic shiploaders destined for Sept-Îles' multi-user dock arrived at the port this month after a 43-day voyage from China via the Panama Canal aboard the  heavylift ship M/V Happy Star. 

The cargo included an elevator and tripper car and 27 conveyor galleries totaling 73 components and weighing in at 3,023 metric tons. Each shiploader weighs 1,200 tons. Because of the complexity and scale of the operation, discharge from M/V Happy Star will take between 14 and 21 days, according to the ship owner.

The equipment manufacturer made arrangements to carry the shiploaders, conveyors and components aboard a single ship and ensure they were unloaded in the proper sequence to optimize installation dockside. The shiploaders were assembled using North American components for the drive system, electrification, and instrumentation. These components were shipped to the assembly site by container ahead of time.

U.S. Virgin Islands: Army Corps Approves Crown Bay East Gregorie Channel Dredging Permit

Executive Director Carlton Dowe of the Virgin Islands Port Authority (VIPA) reports that the permit to dredge the East Gregerie Channel in Crown Bay, St. Thomas, has been approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  

This means that the port authority can now begin dredging the channel and the northern side of the Austin Monsanto Marine Terminal cruise ship pier to provide safer berthing conditions for large cruise vessels. The dredging will cost about $2.5 million. Mr. Dowe said that he expects the project to start immediately, and it should be completed within four to five months. The project is funded via bond financing secured by the port authority last year.

"This dredging project is bigger than the port authority," said Mr. Dowe. "If this dredging permit was not approved, the territory could have lost as much as 17 cruise ship calls to St. Thomas. This translates to about $7 million in passenger and crew spending, $382,980 in government gross receipt taxes and $396,384 in port fees." 

He added that VIPA also faced the possibility of fines, based on previously negotiated berthing contracts with Princess and Holland American Line.

VIPA received 655 vessel calls and more than 2.0 million passengers at its cruise terminals in FY 2013-14.

Mr. Dowe took note of major cruise port developments occurring elsewhere in the Caribbean in the British Virgin Islands, St. Maarten, St. Lucia and St. Kitts.  He stressed the need for the U.S. Virgin Islands to invest in maintaining and developing its port facilities in order to remain key players in the competitive tourism industry.


The Austin "Babe" Monsanto Marine Facility cruise terminal, Crown Bay, St. Thomas, is used by ultra large cruise ships, such as Oasis of the Seas.  
Photo/Don Hebert, Virgin Islands Port Authority

 

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