A new fast ferry is due to reach Bermuda by the middle of August, a hill that causes a slight obstruction to pilots landing at Bermuda International Airport is being demolished and the excess material sold off, and a live exercise is being planned next week to show the benefits of the new GPS taxi equipment system.

All three topics were discussed by Transport Minister Dr. Ewart Brown as he presented an update on transport matters affecting the Island.

The Ministry of Transport is stepping up the number of options available to people seeking to find alternative ways to get around.

That is why a new ferry will soon be in service on the Island. The vessel is expected to be launched at Bridgeport, Connecticut next Monday and will undergo final tests before its due departure in early August to sail to Bermuda.

And reporting on ongoing progress at the Airport, Deputy Premier Dr. Brown said: "After Hurricane Fabian the Airport sustained massive flood damage. In order to help prevent this major amount of damage in future we have begun a three-phase project of reinforcing the foreshore of the Airport.

"This project began in September 2005. Phase one has been completed and phases two and three will be completed before the end of the year."

He added: "It has been discovered that Long Bird Hill causes a slight obstruction in the landing visibility for aircraft. In June we began to level out the hill. This is a three-year project being carried out by Bermuda Construction Services.

"As they will be selling the materials from the demolition of the hill this project is being carried out at no cost to Government with Government actually receiving a percentage of the material sales."

And, there is just over a week to go before it becomes the law for taxi operators to have installed and to be using new GPS equipment, said Dr. Brown.

There has to date been a 75 percentage compliance rate with 440 of the Island's 600 taxis now having the equipment installed.

The Transport Minister said reminder letters have been sent out to taxi owners to reinforce the fact that the use of the equipment is compulsory as from August 6.

He said: "Taxi owners have had ample time to comply. The few that do not comply are placing a greater burden to carry the load on those who are.

"Early next week I, along with technical officers, will conduct a specific media event on this crucial area of computerised dispatch."

The Minister also announced that a night piloting simulation of Bermuda's cargo vessels undertaken at MITAGS in Baltimore earlier this month had been completed and was designed to develop electronic models for cargo ships serving Bermuda, identifying improvements and upgrades to channel entrances and maritime navigational aids and digitising nautical charts.

During the past two months the Department of Maritime Administration has added a further six commercial vessels totalling 446,700 gross tons to the Island's register.