By Denise Clarke, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
THE CRUISE ship Inspiration made its usual stop in Montego Bay yesterday, docking just a few metres away from where dredging is taking place in the city's harbour.
The Christoforo Columbo began dredging on Tuesday, a day later than was originally scheduled. The Port Authority of Jamaica had notified the public that the dredging would have begun on Monday, and was expected to last for three days. However, the trailing hopper dredger did not arrive in Montego Bay from Kingston until Tuesday.
Senior Director of technical services at the Port Authority of Jamaica Byron Lewis said the activities are expected to be completed by the end of this week.
"It's basically maintenance dredging. It's cleaning all the debris that is washed into the harbour from the rivers," he told The Gleaner.
Dredging of the Montego Bay Harbour is costing the country $132 million, after which the pier should be able to accommodate vessels up to 1,500 feet in length. Areas such as the entrance channel, berth face and the western side of the turning basin, are being dredged to a depth of 34 feet or 10.4 metres.
Dredging activities are also planned for Port Antonio.
