The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

AS Grand Bahama recovers from the devastation of Hurricane Dorian, a top Carnival Corporation executive has assured residents that the company’s ships would return to Freeport as soon as they complete an assessment on the island.

Carnival vessels suspended all sailings to Freeport after the storm churned over the island at the beginning of the month.

While in Grand Bahama on Wednesday, Giora Israel, senior vice president of Carnival Corporation, said members of the Carnival team are on the island to carry out assessments to make a decision as to when ships can return.

He was in town for the signing of two heads of agreements with the government for the new $100 million Carnival cruise port proposed for East Grand Bahama, and an $80 million pier construction by Carnival and Holland America Lines at Half Moon Cay.

Before the storm, Carnival had five ships – the Liberty, Elation, Sensation, Ecstasy, and Sunrise — sailing to Freeport.

“You will be happy to hear and the rest of the people that (the team) is here to make an assessment of when - it is not if – it is just when in a matter of a short period of time can the ships come back because that’s one of the things everybody wants, to bring the cruise ships back,” he said.

“It is not if, it is a matter of when the ships can come back. We are delighted from what we have seen and heard, so far,” Mr Israel added.

Additionally, the Carnival executive also announced some good news regarding the Grand Bahama Shipyard, which is expected to begin a major repair contract next month.

Carnival Corporation is a joint owner, with Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, and Grand Bahama Port Authority, in the shipyard.

Mr Israel was very impressed with how fast the facility was able to bounce back in operation two weeks after Dorian.

“The shipyard is one of my crazy ideas that came to fruition many years ago, and they’ve done a remarkable job after the hurricane; in eight days after the hurricane the shipyard was open,” he said.

Mr Israel reported that the facility – which employs some 600 workers – is gearing up to receive “the first big cruise line repair” on October 5.

“This is a lot of good news and we are excited about that, and to continue work and employment at the shipyard, and looking forward to expanding the shipyard,” he said.