Coast Guard to Relocate to Make Way for Port Expansion

As work continues at the port, plans are in the works to relocate the Coast Guard.

Cabinet Spokesperson Maurice Merchant spoke briefly about the move while speaking on the addition of the new crane.

“You will see major transformation as we would have announced that the Coast Guard which occupies the vicinity of the port there will move to Camp Blizzard, a facility giving more space for expansion of operations there at the port,” Merchant said.

A specific timeline was not given about when exactly this relocation would take place, but Merchant did explain briefly, that work first must be carried at Camp Blizzard to facilitate the Coast Guard.

“In terms of the Coast Guard moving from the Port to Camp Blizzard, the Ministry of Works has been charged in preparing an area there at Camp Blizzard which has been previously used for similar purposes with the RSS and so forth, to get it ready for the movement of the Coast Guard and once accommodation is available for the office and for the staff quarters and so forth, then it can be considered completed as there is a regular dock available right there at Camp Blizzard for accommodating the Coast Guard,” Merchant added.

Meanwhile, a team of four German engineers is in Antigua overseeing the reassembly of the country’s newest piece of port infrastructure, a US$6.2 million Liebherr LHM 420 mobile harbour crane that officials say will revolutionize operations at the St. John’s Port.

The engineers, dispatched by crane manufacturer Liebherr, are working alongside local port staff to ensure the state-of-the-art machine is assembled and commissioned to international standards.

 At the same time, a group of Antiguan operators has begun intensive training to master the crane’s advanced control systems and safety protocols.

Attorney General Steadroy Benjamin, who inspected the crane on its arrival, described the acquisition as a “game-changing addition” to national infrastructure. The German-built machine can handle up to 60 containers per hour; a capacity regarded as a benchmark for efficiency in the Eastern Caribbean.

Port Manager Darwin Telemaque believe the crane will slash turnaround times, attract additional trans-shipment business, and open new employment opportunities for locals.

The crane was delivered in 18 separate components, all of which have now been discharged. Assembly is underway, with reloading of containers scheduled shortly after installation milestones are completed.

The harbour crane forms a cornerstone of the Port Authority’s modernization drive, which seeks to enhance Antigua and Barbuda’s role as a regional logistics hub, increase government revenue through improved trade flows, and provide modern equipment that can meet the demands of global shipping.