June 30, this year, is the proposed date by which extensive repair of the main jetty at Road Bay should be completed. This is particularly the case as any major storm during the forthcoming hurricane season would seriously affect the course of such work.
At present an official request for proposals from contractors has been posted on the Anguilla Government’s website to design, build and finance the repairs of the Road Bay Jetty. The request, published by the Anguilla Air & Sea Ports Authority, was issued on February 9, 2016 in association with the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications, Utilities and Housing. The closing date for the receipt of proposals, by tender, is February 29.
The original wooden structure of the jetty was constructed by Royal Engineers in the early 1970s following the Anguilla Revolution. It was extended as a re-inforced concrete structure in 1978 and altered again in 1986.
In January 2014, a group of Royal Engineers provided the Anguilla Government with written details of a structural assessment of the condition of the jetty. The report showed that some of the piles and other areas of the jetty were extensively damaged – and that there was a strong possibility of collapse of part of the main structure. The report warned that any heavy impact from a vessel could cause a fatal structural failure of the jetty and render it unusable.
According to the report, the jetty had experienced significant damage from ships colliding with it, or by inappropriately using it as “a Ro-Ro” jetty.
A section of the project overview states: “The most critical aspect is the rehabilitation of Road Bay Jetty which is in urgent need of repair. As Anguilla’s sole cargo jetty, it is an important aspect to the economy and provides significant revenues. The repair will ensure continued trade and investment for commercial enterprise which is essential for Anguilla’s growth.”
The overview continues: “The Anguilla Air and Sea Ports Authority is interested in contracting a firm that can provide design, build and finance services in the repair of the Road Bay Jetty. The repairs under this project are to be executed safety and diligently to prevent collapse of the jetty and extend its useful life. The proposed method of repair should take into consideration that AASPA requires minimum disruption to its operations in the execution of the contract, that is, vessels should be allowed to berth and offload cargo. Normal operational hours at the port are Monday to Friday 8.00 am to 4.00 pm, Saturdays 8.00 am to 12.00 pm and on Sunday the port is closed.”
The overview also mentioned other matters relating to the manner and standard of the expected construction.
The Air and Sea Ports Authority has committed to applying EC$3,000,000 to the implementation of the Design, Build and Finance Contract with the assistance of the Government of Anguilla. The terms and conditions of the contract include that all the repair work should be completed in two months, by June 30, 2016, and that all efforts should be made to achieve that timeline.
