B.T.B. Cruise Director Says Belize Needs a Cruise Port

Valdemar Andrade

The fact that Belize does not offer a mainland docking berth for ships remains one of the huge challenges in the industry looking forward. The time taken for tendering limits the visitor experience and with other destinations offering a port, let’s just say Belize needs to step up its game to stay in the game. The Stake Bank project may provide a way out in that regard, but it’s been tied up in litigation for over a year. Are things looking up following a ruling in developer Mike Feinstein’s favour recently? Andrade wasn’t sure, but says that if the project can get underway, then it would be good news for Belize.

Valdemar Andrade, Director of Destination Planning, B.T.B.

“A port is very necessary for us, and that window keeps getting shorter and shorter. A docking facility puts us in a situation where the cruise lines burn less fuel when in they’re in port because right now the cruise ships actually burn a lot of fuel just keeping in the spot where they’re anchored. It puts us also in a better position to offload people and get them to their destination, so definitely a port is very favourable. I myself haven’t gotten the details of what the ruling means at this point in time, but if it means that we will move ahead with a port that is something that is very positive for the industry. The day that we are able to go to the cruise conference and say that we have already driven the first pile, the docking facility will be in whatever amount of time then that will be a very positive thing for Belize. We would be able to up the game with Cuba and Mexico and the rest of the cruise industry.”