The Bermuda National Trust has attacked plans to widen Town Cut in St. George?s to accommodate ?mega? cruise ships.

It said the move would ?inevitably alter the dynamics of the harbour, increasing its vulnerability to storms and diminishing its value as an anchorage?.

In a Press statement, the Trust added that the impact on the marine environment would be both detrimental and irreversible. Earlier this year the Trust was asked by the Government for its input on the Ministry of Tourism and Transport?s Cruise Ports Master Plan.

The Trust learned that owing to the age and condition of those vessels currently serving Bermuda, their operators intended to replace them with larger Panamax type ships.

The Trust was told that these ships would be somewhat wider ? up to the maximum width possible for a vessel to transit the Panama Canal ? and as much as 300 feet longer than most current callers.

To accommodate these new vessels major changes were proposed for each port and at that point the Trust was asked to comment.

The Trust responded by letter seeking answers to the following questions:

What is the ?carrying capacity? of Bermuda and how do these initiatives affect that number?

What is the objective evidence to support the premise that we will not have a viable cruise ship presence without these changes?

How does this initiative co-ordinate with other strategies to revive the whole of Bermuda?s tourism industry?

How does this plan fit with the strategies of the Sustainable Development Initiative?

Has a cost/benefit analysis been done to show that the extreme measures contemplated will actually provide a proportional benefit to Bermuda?

What impact would this plan have on the marine and terrestrial environments in general and specifically what would the impact be on Higgs Island and Two Rock Passage, Bermuda?s transport system and ability to provide other visitor services, areas affected by dredging and movement of larger ships through inshore waters and the Islands water and sewage systems.

To date, the Trust said, the questions remain unanswered.

In yesterday?s statement, the Trust agreed that the cruise ship industry is a vital part of Bermudas tourism portfolio.

But it did not agree that the model for the future should be ?mega? ships, with all their associated difficulties, in each of our major ports. The Trust also questions the wisdom of altering the essential character of a World Heritage Site to accommodate larger cruise ships. ?It is hard to imagine how this could be accomplished without leaching away the delicate charm that is St George?s greatest attraction.?

A discussion as to the suitability of Dockyard as the ?mega? ship hub is hobbled by the numerous unanswered questions surrounding that proposal.

Could Bermuda adequately absorb that many cruise visitors without the experience of all visitors and residents suffering?

What are the specific plans to deal with the transport issues that would arise from two ?mega? ships in port, when the current system seems woefully inadequate with just one at present?

What would the environmental effects of these ships be within the harbour and inshore waters?

How much sediment would spread and how much coral would die?

The Trust feels that these are questions that must be answered before we decide to build a facility for ?mega? ships, not as we build it.

We also feel that as we explore the above issues we should also entertain other possible solutions to the cruise ship question. Have we made every effort to attract smaller ships, even ones not affiliated with the major cruise lines?

We know that these ships exist, what would it take to bring them to Bermuda?

Could we ensure that St. George?s is not left out of the program by guaranteeing enough dedicated fast ferries to deliver visitors from Dockyard to their doorstep?

Environmental impact studies of these proposals, and we are shocked that this has not been done by this point in the proceedings, could provide a wealth of possible solutions.

The Trust said it believed the results of these studies are what Bermuda needs to make an informed decision on this issue.

?We cannot be too careful when making a decision that will shape the face of the island and with which Bermuda will have to live forever.?

The Trust said it looked forward to a response from Government and to being involved in the continuing consultation process.