NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Transport and Housing Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis said yesterday that the Nassau Container Port’s operator has expressed interest in operating Abaco’s main commercial shipping port.
Coleby-Davis said the government is moving ahead with a public-private partnership model for the rebuilding and management of the port during a presentation to the Abaco Business Outlook conference.
Abaco stakeholders have expressed concern over the state of the Marsh Harbour Port, with Acting Abaco of Chamber of Commerce President Daphne de Gregory Miaoulis noting that the port’s redevelopment “can’t come fast enough”.
Coleby-Davis-Davis said: “The North Abaco, Marsh Harbour and and Cooper’s Town ports require special attention; in particular the Marsh Harbour Port which is considered the the main commercial shipping entry point to Abaco. They were devastated by Hurricane Dorian and since that time every little action has been take to effect the necessary repairs.”
She continued: “Efforts to rebuild an efficient and secure port system are underway. A PPP model was sought in an effort to create the performance dynamic of a modern port and develop further quality infrastructure that will produce value for every investment dollar.”
According to Coleby-Davis, Ministry of Transport officials recently held stakeholders meetings on Abaco to share information and get feedback on the port’s redevelopment.
Back in January, the Ministry of Transport and Housing released an expression of interest” request, calling for a PPP arrangement with a private sector developer or port operator, which is able to raise the necessary financing, “to create the performance dynamics of a modern port” and “develop, further, quality infrastructure that will produce value for every investment dollar.
Deon Bethell, Arawak Port Development ’s president and chief executive, said: “We are hopeful about this expression of interest regarding the Abaco port. We haven’t heard anything yet. We are patiently awaiting a response on that as we had put in a response to the expression of interest for the port of Marsh Harbour. We just hope we are given the opportunity to lend our expertise to such a developing island community.”
