Port infrastructure in Dominica ‘suffered $51 million of damage’

The damage to Dominica’s port infrastructure due to Hurricane Maria amounts to $51 million, the CEO of the Dominica Air and Seaport Authority has announced.

Speaking at a press conference, Benoit Bardouille said the cruise ship berth in Roseau was affected.

“We suffered damage at the cruise ship berth and I say we are working feverishly to bring the cruise ship berth in Roseau back in operation, hopefully in January of 2018,” he said.

“We are working alongside with several partners including the Ministry of Tourism so that we can again receive ships.”

There was also damage to the ferry terminal but “we are using the ferry terminal despite all the damages suffered there but we are trying to do it as safely as possible,” Bardouille added.

‘No work needed’ for Woodbridge Bay Port

Despite the horrendous effects of Hurricane Maria, which struck the island on 18 September, the pier at Woodbridge Bay Port was spared.

This has been attributed to the government’s recent US$12.5-million repair work.

“I believe it is significant because hadn’t that job not been done, I think we would have been in a different situation today,” said Bardouille.

“Our fear was if we are going to take a hurricane, no matter whether it was a category one or two we may suffer loss of the pier, the pier would just disappear and lucky for us, like I said the money was spent and well spent in terms of putting the necessary repairs and we did not have any damage of any sort to the port in terms of the pier that we are operating.”