Port seeks CPA approval for $5.5M gantry
(CNS): An application by the Port Authority of the Cayman Islands to install gantries at the cargo storage yard to allow higher stacking of shipping containers is scheduled to be heard by the CPA on Wednesday. According to the documents submitted, the project is seeking to stack containers higher in a more condensed area to improve the efficiency of the port but there is no indication of how the authority is footing the $5.5 million bill. CNS has contacted the management team but so far we have received no response about how it will be paid. According to the most recent financial statements of the authority in the public domain, it made a modest surplus at the end of the 2015 financial year of $350,000.
The planning documents indicate that the PACI has already bought the two rubber-tyred gantries (RTGs) and they are expected to be delivered to Grand Cayman the end of February 2018. The proposed scheme also includes installation of a concrete foundation below the footprint of the container and RTG yard to support the increased loads. The project will include an asphalt surface for tractor-trailer delivery and collection on the perimeter road and raising the yard to an average of +6ft MSL to provide improved protection against flooding. The application also includes the replacement of floodlights and the installation of a new standby generator to service the container yard.
There are no objections, and according to the planning agenda, shipping containers are stacked using top-pick front-end loaders up to four containers high, but the necessary drive aisles between them limits how many containers can be processed in the existing yard.
“The proposed gantries will allow PACI to get up to six containers high in a much tighter footprint. The gantry height will be 90′-10″ tall, the equivalent of a 7 storey building. The Authority should consider whether the proposed height of the gantries is suitable in this industrial and commercial area,” the planning department states in the submission.
The Legislative Assembly meets on Friday to deliver the 2018/19 Budget, with the Finance Committee hearings scheduled to begin early next month after the debates next week. At that point it should become clear where the port is finding the cash for the $5 million upgrade.
Category: Government Finance, Local News, Politics
Remember folks these authorities are not part of the civil service. The Port is one of the run away statutory authorities. They a spending our money without control. The Port Board is doing nothing to reel in spending. Look at the large contingent the port sent to Mexico. The photo is in the compass. Some 5 port staff is in Mexico have a great time at a cruise conference. How much this costing us??? The Civil Service is doing so much better while these authorities like CIMA is out of control.
They made a surplus last year, name one civil service department or statutory authority that can say the same…
Water authority…next question
The most expensive gantry I could find in internet is 1.5 million.
Something clearly wrong here.
Gantry needs infrastructure ground needs substructure works to support tonnage conveyed etc etc,
First cost of gantry is just the beginning,
CIG need to start looking at decentralisation of the port instead of throwing money away on equipment to build shaky stacks of containers. I agree with 10:31 and envisage these container stacks coming down and smashing through town during a bad storm. This is truly an asinine idea. Seems our so called planners do it with their eyes closed.
The gantry is for the remote storage facility. Do some fact finding before making idiotic comments.
Planning has talked about flooding , but didn’t talk about hurricane force winds with those containers . You shouldn’t be stacking those containers that high without having them properly secured to withstand hurricane force winds .
It sounds like the typical CI government way of doing anything , do half first and after the job is finished got to go back and finish the last half . That how any job that would cost one million dollars ends up costing two million dollars .
Any ideas on what could be used to properly secure empty shipping containers in hurricane force winds?
Move the Port. It needs a new location! Or, purchase more land!
I know how to , where are your money ?
How often do we get hurricanes? Go back in your hole please.
That is probably the stupidest argument I’ve ever heard. Remember Ivan? It clearly only takes one.