Government is considering a Special Development Order for the second phase of the Dockyard Cruise Ship Pier project. Andrew Dias, general manager of the West End Development Corporation (Wedco) has applied for the SDO on the grounds that the pier deadline is April 2009.

But he told The Royal Gazette yesterday that no reefs will be harmed in the project. Commenting on concern that coral reefs could be destroyed to make way for the Panamax mega-ships, Mr. Dias said: "No, what you see right now, it (the pier) is pretty much completed, other than the long piece which goes out of the marker, and they are all on piles.

"It's very good news," he added.

Mr. Dias could not say what the current costs of the project are but said that it was going "extremely well".

"The reason for applying for the SDO is, I would say, that this particular project is a special project and there is a necessity to do it at this particular time in order to make it happen on time," he said. However, he also said the project was "pretty much on time". "We are now looking forward to completion," said Mr. Dias.

He states the reasons for applying for an SDO in a letter to Environment Minister El James as: "Over the last several months, Wedco and our team of consultants have been working diligently to prepare the necessary plans and documents in order to submit the Phase Two Planning application for the above noted project.

"As you are aware, the project deadline is set for April 2009 and cannot be changed for any reason without causing serious financial detriment to the country.

"As recommended by Mr. Kevin Monkman, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of the Environment, in order to meet this deadline, we would need to apply for a Special Development Order (SDO) for this portion of the project. This recommendation was based upon the results of a departmental meeting and deemed the only method of achieving the desired end."

Mr. Monkman yesterday confirmed to The Royal Gazette: "The Minister is considering the application which has been submitted."

The SDO — for Phase Two of the Master Plan would see construction of a Ground Transportation Area (GTA), Terminal Building and new 36-foot wide bridge to replace the present 25-foot North Arm Bridge. The Terminal Building will be constructed of chiseled limestone in keeping with the Dockyard buildings, and house a Greeters Desk, Customs and Immigration, Seaport Security, a search room, offices, washrooms and a Belco vault.

Phase One of the second cruise ship pier is already underway following Planning permission, but Phase Two awaits final approval.

The first construction phase involves piling, pier infrastructure, a temporary access road and mitigation measures such as noise monitoring, so as not to harm the animals at Dolphin Quest. As part of the Environmental Impact Statement — a condition of the Building Permit, developers have to monitor the impact of construction through water quality data, noise and vibration monitoring, plus visual inspection for suspended sediments/turbidity.

A Water Quality Monitoring Programme is in place, with Bermuda Water Consultants (BWC) taking samples at four locations and reporting to Dr. Fred Ming, Director of Environmental Health, and Dolphin Quest.

There are also turbidity and noise monitoring programmes, with Dolphin Quest taking noise samples three times a week. And as part of the project, a Marine Pollution Contingency Plan is in place in the event of any oil or toxic spillages.

Government unveiled the plans to build the new cruise ship pier in its 2007 Budget, estimating the facility would cost $35 million and take two years to complete. The contractor is Correia Construction.

The Ministry of Tourism and Transport says the second pier is necessary to accommodate the Panamax and Post-Panamax mega-ships — the result of a changing cruise ship industry.

However, last summer former Premier Dame Jennifer Smith objected to the plans, saying an underwater "obstruction" beneath the proposed Panamax berth had proved to be a "historic wreck".

As board chairman of the Historical Wrecks Authority, she insisted developers carry out an archaeological survey. Government then commissioned a team of marine archaeologists from East Carolina University in the US to examine the wreck late last year.

There have been no updates as yet on what has been concluded, but the Historic Wrecks Authority would have to issue a permit ahead of any removal.

The 65ft by 19ft iron vessel is thought to be one of the original tugs used to build Royal Naval Dockyard in the mid-19th century. Remnants of Prison Hulks and The Woodside, a 200ft iron and wooden ship, have also been discovered on the seabed nearby.

Government has said that while it awaits the results of the archaeological survey, work on the pier will not take place in the vicinity of the wreck.