Construction of Mega Cruise Pier II nears completion

2017, November 1: Curaçao’s Mega Cruise Pier II, in the final stages of construction, was expecting its first ship on November 13, 2017, P&O Cruises ms Britannia. Mega Cruise Pier II is located at Otrabanda, Willemstad, west of the entrance to St. Anna Bay and adjacent to Mega Cruise Pier I. It was built at a cost of USD48 million.

Curaçao, Mega Cruise Piers  [Images courtesy of CPA]
Growth

In formally announcing the project, Curaçao Ports Authority (CPA) stated that, following the construction of the first mega pier, call requests had increased to the point where the CPA could no longer meet the demand. The port experienced a 30% increase in passenger arrivals over the two-year period 2012 – 2014 when visitor arrivals reached 600,000.

Curaçao, Mega Cruise Pier diagram. [Images courtesy of CPA]
This achievement placed the port on track to get to its target of 1,000,000 visitors a year, each spending, on average, $70 to $100. The CPA therefore moved to advance work on its master development plan for the port; ‘Rif Seaport Curaçao Master Plan 2014 – 2016’.

Curaçao, Mega Cruise Pier diagram. [Images courtesy of CPA]
In May 2016, the Dutch company Royal BAM* Group announced that it had won the contract to design and construct a mega cruise pier in Curaçao. Construction began later that year.

Capacity

The new pier, Mega Cruise Pier II, will be able to receive 8,000 passengers a day and, with depth alongside of 20 metres, will be capable of accommodating Oasis-class cruise ships (currently the world’s largest cruise ships – length 360 m. /1,181 ft., with 5,400 passengers in double occupancy.)

Willemstad, Curaçao

Cargo ships, tankers and offshore service vessels will also use the facilities.

The berthing structure comprises a 200 metre jetty, a 75 metre approach trestle and four mooring dolphins. Construction works included land reclamation protected by shore revetment and improvements to Mega Cruise Pier I. []

* Koninklijke BAM Groep NV. [Bataafsche Aanneming Maatschappij van Bouw – en Betonwerken (‘BAM’)]