Environmentalists raise concerns about Carnival's proposed Grand

Save The Bays and Waterkeepers Bahamas are concerned about impact on the East End's mangroves, marshlands, reefs and marine life. They're also worried about disruption to one of the Bahamas' three greatest watersheds, according to reports in thebahamasweekly.com and tribune242.com.

'We welcome Carnival Cruise Line and recognize the importance of the cruise industry to the overall economy of the Bahamas,' Joe Darville, chairman of Save The Bays, stated in both publications. 'Our fear is that the very beauty that Carnival’s passengers and other visitors find in Grand Bahama could easily be destroyed if the port is built in that area.'

He called the East End 'one of the most fragile and important ecological wonders of the Bahamas.'

Seatrade Cruise News asked Carnival to talk about issues the environmentalists have raised.

'There is no finalized deal at this time,' a company spokeswoman said. She added that 'If/when a deal is finalized, we'd be happy to discuss specifics of the project.'

The environmentalists are urging Carnival to build instead near Freeport, on the other side of the island where its ships currently dock in a container port. It's an industrial setting not far from the hemisphere's leading cruise repair facility, Grand Bahama Shipyard, but also near a developed tourism area with resorts and shopping.

For many years Carnival has been seeking to create its own destination. It's the only major Caribbean cruise brand without a private-island-style port.

Earlier this year Bahamas Prime Minister Perry Christie announced changes that enabled talks about Carnival's proposed project to advance.

The government, he said, had executed a waiver of exclusivity with Freeport Harbour Co. with respect to the operation of cruise ports on Grand Bahama. That, and a new memorandum of understanding with the Grand Bahama Port Authority, Hutchison Ports and other related entities, 'cleared the way for completion of negotiations with Carnival Cruise Line for the creation of a major cruise port with compelling attractions in East Grand Bahama.'

Last week, according to the Bahamas news reports, the National Economic Council gave its OK for the 'conclusion of a heads of agreement' with Carnival for a $200m project at East End.

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Environmentalists raise concerns about Carnival's proposed Grand Bahama port