The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Perry Christie announced that government is working on the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding for a $250m expansion at the Freeport Container Port.

He made the announcement on Monday during the opening of the Memories Resort in Grand Bahama.

Mr Christie confirmed that discussions have taken placed between the government, and the principals of Hutchison, MSC Shipping and the Grand Bahama Port Authority.

The Memorandum of Understanding, he said, is expected to go before the Cabinet shortly for final approval, with a view to construction starting this summer.

“This major expansion is expected to result in one million additional containers passing through Freeport annually,” he said.

He noted that initiatives being undertaken by government are designed to grow other existing businesses, to also attract major new investments and value added enterprises to Grand Bahama.

Mr Christie said these will result in spinoff effects in the economy, creating many new business and employment opportunities.

“In preparation for these opportunities, I am calling on the Grand Bahama business community to forge a partnership with the government in its National Training programme, so as to equip as many Bahamians as possible with the necessary skills to efficiently meet the demands which will be created for many new jobs,” he said.

The Freeport Container Port started operations in 1997, in Freeport. It is the largest transshipment terminal in the region.

Upon completion of the $250 million Phase V Development, FCP will have a total quay length of 1,536 metres, a yard area of 63 hectares, a depth alongside of 15.5 metres and 16 super-post-Panamax quay cranes.

FCP is operated by Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH), a subsidiary of Hutchison Whampoa Limited, a leading port operator. The HPH network of port operations comprises 319 berths in 52 ports, spanning 26 countries throughout Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, the Americas and Australia.