It started as a $35 million project but to date has cost taxpayers $60 million.

The new pier at Dockyard opened in April to accommodate the latest generation of cruise ships.

It was hailed as critical to the future of tourism in Bermuda and was completed on time but 70 percent over budget.

Today The Royal Gazette publishes its findings from an in-depth investigation into how costs rocketed during the two-year project.

The investigation was prompted by figures released from Government to explain why measures to protect animals at Dolphin Quest cost taxpayers $3.7 million.

Dennis and Jane Correia, bosses of general contractor Correia Construction, and Louis (Skip) Gardella, of subcontractor Norwalk Marine International (NMI), opened their financial records during interviews with our reporters.

Among our findings were that:

• Figures published by Government in Parliamentary Answers to explain cost overruns were inaccurate according to Correia.

• The design of the thruster wall, used as a barrier against sediment surge from ships' propellers, changed four times, according to Correia, adding millions to the final bill. The thruster wall is still not complete.

• The terminal building doubled in price to $3.9 million on design changes, prompting Mr. Correia to quip: "They got the Taj Mahal."

• Other issues that contributed to the overrun included new security measures for the terminal, specially made lampposts and changes to the design of the ground transportation area for buses and taxis.

• Government paid Correia almost $9 million up front 23 percent of the entire original contract price as an interest-free mobilisation loan, a move described as "unusual" by one Bermuda contractor.

• Correia ended up paying more than four times the rental fee on the subcontractor's price list for a crane used in the project, which was charged to the taxpayer.

• The relationship between Correia and subcontractor Norwalk Marine International soured so badly that NMI was terminated early and three of its staff defected to join Correia following a $600,000 out-of-court settlement.

• Rental costs for two vibratory hammers to drive the pile foundations of the pier were billed as an extra under "dolphin mitigation".

In response to our questions, the Ministry of Tourism and Transport did not address the issue of the accuracy of its figures and referred us to previous public statements on the project.

"Timelines, design changes, pregnant dolphins and development approaches all combined to result in increased costs," Government said.