New Dock at Philipsburg, Sint Maarten

[Aplmac]

When I passed thru Sint Maarten in early Jan. 2008,

early marine pilings were being driven.

 

A taxi driver informed us that the marine works we saw

were part of a new dock that Carnival was building.

 

I've been following the progress somewhat

via Ocean Village Two's webcam shots (see a few below)

where it's now obvious they've done a lot since January.

 

Sheet piling has been emplaced,

and now there's a big old rotary dredger digging up the bottom

for backfill to 'make land' behind the sheet-piling.

 

 

Now today, on a thread over at...

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=760017

a lady writes in(post number 11) that it seems this is going to be a Sea World!

 

-----------quote------------------

Hi I have just got back from a stop in St Maarten and there is a notice up at the port

saying that they are building a massive sea world at the dock, just as you get off the ship,

looks like they are using a huge chunk of land, it should be open by 2009,

 

St Lucia is also having a large harbour built with money from an American cruise line

(sorry can't remember the company name) I think it was something like Carnival, hope this helps.

----------------------------------

 

 

 

I rather suspect it'll be both a new dock and a Sea World,

since St.Maarten could clearly use more docking

than the 4 berths they presently offer!

 

 

If anyone knows any more, please contribute.

Seems the lady got her info from a big sign, on the site?

has anyone else seen/read that sign, recently?

Got a picture of it, maybe??

[McDebbie]

Odd that you should ask, I don't know why my husband took this picture but here it is. Can't see that it says much about what exactly they are building though.

 

[McDebbie]

maybe this has something to do with the sea world? Sorry, we really didn't pay that much attention.

 

[Aplmac]

maybe this has something to do with the sea world?

Sorry, we really didn't pay that much attention.

 

The dolphins 'say more' than the sign does, but thanks anyway!

 

 

Anyone else?!

[gtaylor]

I'm intrigued by your fascination with this project.

 

My bet is that there will not be a Sea World.

 

It is widely know here on the island what is going on at the St. Maarten Port.

 

The Port entered into an agreement with Carnival and Royal Caribbean to build a new pier to accomodate the new Super Mega Liners that are planned to be launched in 2009. The new pier will be about 450 metres long. Capacity is two super mega's.

 

Each line is guaranteed a berth at the new pier. Carnival is guaranteed 3 berths at the existing facility, as required. Royal Caribbean is guaranteed 1.

 

The Cruise Lines loaned the island $ millions for the project, but guaranteed sufficent head tax per projected passenger to pay off the loans.

 

At the same time, and on the opposite side of the existing Cruise Facility, the cargo terminal is being expanded greatly.

 

Any questions?

 

gary

[Aplmac]

It is widely know here on the island what is going on at the St. Maarten Port. ===> but not on the outside!

 

The Port entered into an agreement with Carnival and Royal Caribbean

to build a new pier to accomodate the new Super Mega Liners that are planned to be launched in 2009.

The new pier will be about 450 metres long. Capacity is two super mega's.

 

At the same time, and on the opposite side of the existing Cruise Facility

the cargo terminal is being expanded greatly.

 

Any questions?

Many thanks for your input!

 

Is there a website somewhere that interested folks might go to..

showing plans, sketches, artists impressions, etc??

 

 

 

By "super-mega-liners"

I'm assuming you refer to the GENESIS class ??

 

Currently being built at Aker Yards,Finland, the first one is due out Fall of 2009

and the sister ship(also 220,000 tons) due out Fall of 2010.

 

What a sight they'll be!

[gtaylor]

Yes, I'm talking 220,000 tons.

 

You ought to be able to Google the rest.

 

gary

[Aplmac]

Super-Mega-Liners you said?

 

http://www.princesskaguya.com/e_comparisondata.htm

 

................................

 

 

http://www.portofstmaarten.com/expansion.htm

as well (not that it's much)

[Aplmac]

St. Maarten's Port Authority Embarks on $100M Expansion

 

Philipsburg, August 28, 2006...

 

St. Maarten Ports Authority (SMPA) is investing more than US $100 million

in the expansion of both its cargo and cruise operations.

"We are hoping that by the middle to the third quarter of next year, the expansion project will be completed,"

former SMPA managing director Rommel Charles explained in an interview with The Daily Herald.

 

 

He said the massive expansion at the harbour entailed mainly an extension of the berthing facility,

deepening of the waterfront area by the cargo pier and the deepening of the cargo basin.

 

He said the principal aspect of the expansion in the cruise area would be the building of an additional cruise pier

that will not be as long as the existing one.

In addition, more "dolphin clusters" will be added to the existing cruise pier.

"These dolphin clusters really could be seen as an extension to the cruise pier in a sense

because what they will allow is larger, longer cruise vessels

to be moored safely alongside the existing cruise pier," Charles explained.

Charles also detailed the significant expansion that has taken place in both the cruise and cargo sub-sectors.

 

 

He noted that in the cruise area, whereas St. Maarten had welcomed 869,529 cruise passengers in the year 2000,

that figure had grown every year since then.

In 2001 it was 886,794; in 2002 it topped the one million mark for the first time – 1,048,350 passengers;

1,160,199 in 2003; some 1,336,393 in 2004;

and a new record of 1,466,691 last year (2005).

 

 

In detailing the expansion projects in the cruise sub-sector

he explained that when the existing cruise pier was built

it had not been built to the length specified in the original plans because "some politics had come into play."

As a result, the pier was built shorter than what was originally conceived.

"Now that you have larger, longer vessels coming on to the market

you need to create some sort of extension so they can tie their stern or bow lines, to give them an added level of safety."

 

He said SMPA would also be building a new cruise pier with a small land reclamation area

and a new tender pier for water-based operations was now being built at the Pointe Blanche facility.

"This new facility will be not only for tendering, but also for the water-based operators who conduct tours

– for example, Golden Eagle Tours and the other people who do dive tours and scenic tours by boat around the island.

Those are the principal areas of the planned expansion.

 

 

Source: St Maarten Daily Herald

[gtaylor]

You can do better than that.

 

April 21st 2008 Linky.

 

gary

[Miss Vickie]

Just looked at that Princess Kayuga site - in the world are those 2 ships going to go? Many cities have a smaller population than the Princess Kayuga II will, fully loaded!