Carnival Signs Deal on Bahamas Port Projects

On Wednesday, Carnival Corporation and two of its cruise line brands signed an agreement with the government of The Bahamas to build two new cruise port developments. 

Under the agreement, Carnival will build a new cruise destination for Carnival Cruise Line on Grand Bahama, and it will expand Holland America's Half Moon Cay cruise port on the Bahamian island of Little San Salvador. The Grand Bahama project represents an investment of over $100 million, and the development on Little San Salvador will be an estimated $80 million investment over time.

Carnival Cruise Line says that its new Grand Bahama destination will be developed on the south side of the island, and more details will be coming soon. At Half Moon Cay, the existing development is primarily on the west side of the island, and the new addition - including a new pier to accommodate larger ships - will be on the north side. 

Construction for both projects is projected to start by mid-2020, and Carnival says that they are expected to play an important role in the Bahamas' recovery from Hurricane Dorian. Carnival says that its new construction will be designed to meet or exceed guidelines for resilience against the impact of a Category 5 hurricane, like Dorian. 

"In the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian, there is poignancy with the timing of today's agreement, and as we prepare for the pre-construction phase of these projects to begin early next year, they will provide jobs and a major boost to the recovery and rebuilding effort," said Giora Israel, SVP of global port and destination development for Carnival Corporation. 

Israel noted that while Grand Bahama and the Abaco Islands were badly damaged by Dorian, the majority of the Bahamas saw few effects, and cruise tourism remains vital to the nation's economy. Six of nine Carnival Corporation cruise brands will still call in the Bahamas this season, including 40 scheduled cruises aboard Holland America ships alone.