The Montserrat Port Authority works to provide a safe multi-use port facility and service. It is improving and expanding the Little Bay Port through superstructure, infrastructure and human resource development, in keeping with international maritime standards. Port Manager Joseph O’Garro spoke on the development of Little Bay Port and how the Authority fulfils maritime responsibilities. Report by Imogen Ward and Antonia Cole.
Established in 1978, the Montserrat Port Authority manages and operates Port Little Bay and Port Plymouth on a 24-hour basis, accepting container vessels (RoRo & LoLo), breakbulk vessels, tugs and barges, fuel vessels in addition to facilitating anchorage for cruise ships and pleasure yachts.
The Authority regulates the safe use of port facilities and controls navigation. The Government of Montserrat is investing in a substantial development of port Little Bay to provide a new, deeper draught pier.
On the Caribbean island of Montserrat, the Authority has endured multiple natural disasters. This includes the 1989, category four, hurricane Hugo and the 1995 eruption of the Soufrière Hills volcano
that saw the tragic destruction of substantial portions of the island.
Since these disasters, the island has been working to rebuild with the Montserrat Port Authority contributing to the recovery of the island. The port of Little Bay, Montserrat, is set to see huge developments in infrastructure to improve access to the island.
Port developments
After encountering challenges and delays, the Government of Montserrat plans to invest US$26 million into the development of the port has now been increased to US$46 million.
The project is being financed with US$36.8 million in grant funding from UK aid through the United Kingdom
Caribbean Infrastructure Fund (UKCIF) which is administered by the Caribbean Development Bank, and US$9.2 million from the government of Montserrat.
“We’ve updated our design specifications recently to closely correlate with the current and future goals and objectives of the port,” said Port Manager Joseph O’Garro. “We are quite pleased that the funding has been secured for the construction.”
The new facility will comprise of a 130m pier with an 8m draught. The pier will have a mooring dolphin 40m from the end, making the effective usable length a total of 170m, and have a deck width of 20m. A 23m wide RoRo ramp will be an integral part of the pier, to further enhance the usability of the pier.
The Meridian Construction Company Limited, based in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), is responsible for the delivery of the development and is estimated to have progressed 30% of the way through the project.
“The Environmental and Social Impact Assessment required the relocation of corals to protect the islands marine biodiversity and the monitoring of a protected bat habitat near the development project,” said Mr O’Garro.
The assessment ensures that strict international standards are met and that the project will not degrade or damage the natural environment.
“Significant amounts of the required dredging have already been completed by the Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger (TSHD) vessel, Elbe,” explained Mr O’Garro. “About 75 per cent of the
dredging is now completed, with the remainder to be potentially undertaken using a long-reach excavator that is able to access the areas which were not suitable for dredging by the Elbe.”
Construction has already begun on the concrete caissons, and reclamation and shoreline protection works are ongoing. The project is progressing efficiently, ensuring that the port of Little Bay will become a safe, secure and modern port for Montserrat, delivering critical access to the island and enabling further economic development. The Authority has been advised a January 2025 project completion and ready-for-service (RFS) date by the Government of Montserrat Project Coordinator.
The Montserrat Port Authority is also working to refurbish the fenders and bollards at existing facilities, which includes the previously damaged port of Plymouth. Port Plymouth is primarily used for aggregate exports, which is a significant revenue stream for the Authority and an important economic sector for Montserrat.
“It is in our best interest to ensure that Port Plymouth remains not only accessible, but that we continually make improvements in order to safely accept larger barges/tugs and cargo ships,” said Mr O’Garro, “which are currently transporting Montserrat aggregate as far as Suriname in the south and Haiti in the north.
“The ongoing fender and bollard replacement project is estimated to cost
just over half a million US dollars. This includes ancillary works, such as highvisibility life ladders and pier deck maintenance. We are investing approximately one million US dollars total across both of our existing piers at Port Little Bay and Port Plymouth.”
The Authority is also upgrading and modernising its cargo handling equipment,
investing in two electric, two diesel forklifts and a telehandler to improve cargo handling capabilities. The Authority also expects to further invest in a modern reach stacker within the next two years.
“This is to support the expected increase in cargo volumes as we attract new business activity at the new pier,” explained Mr O’Garro.
“We are investing approximately one million US dollars total across both of our existing piers at Port Little Bay and Port Plymouth”
Project coordination
The Montserrat Port Authority has had to work closely with the contractor to ensure that Port Little Bay was able to operate without interruption by the ongoing construction. Weekly meetings, to efficiently coordinate normal vessel traffic and the delivery of construction materials to the port, are an essential part of the project plan.
“The Meridian Construction Company is a crucial partner for us, making this development project an affordable reality,” explained Mr O’Garro, “We recognise and value the company’s contribution to this project.”
In future, The Montserrat Port Authority plans to increase marketing efforts to encourage more niche tourist vessels (max. 800 passengers) and small yachts to visit the island.
It currently manages approximately 400 yacht calls a year and is hoping to increase that number by 25%. This increase in tourism will help the island and its people to economically recover from a difficult past. n
