The Bermuda Sloop Foundation claims Government has failed to meet an agreed deadline to provide the Spirit of Bermuda with a permanent berth at Dockyard.

The tall ship recently returned from taking part in the Newport Bermuda race, when it was due to move to a dock currently used by the tug boat Edward M Stowe.

But the Edward M Stowe has yet to be moved by staff from the Department of Marine & Ports so the Spirit has had to park elsewhere, according to Sloop Foundation chief executive officer Denise Riviere.

She told The Royal Gazette that the only place available was an extended dock used by the Millenium ferry for loading and unloading passengers. Yesterday, the Spirit’s crew was in a training session at CedarBridge Academy and was unable to move the sailboat to allow the Millennium to load and unload.

Passengers were still able to get on-board, however, and the ferry reached Penno’s Wharf in St George on time for tourists waiting there for a 10.30am journey.

Ms Riviere said the deadline for getting the permanent berth was important because the Spirit’s crew was going to be unavailable for the first three days of this week to move the sailboat due to Mirrors training.

“We informed all the necessary people on Friday that we were going to have to dock the ship at the extended dock, so that they would be prepared and make whatever accommodations they would need to make,” she said.

“It’s not like we just parked there and said ‘we are not moving’. We actually informed them that we were not going to be at the ship.

“On Saturday, they did mention that there were still going to need us to move it on Monday. [But] I had already informed the management team that we were unfortunately not going to be there.”

Ms Riviere stressed that the Sloop Foundation had an excellent partnership with Marine & Ports and appreciated all it did to help the charity carry out its youth programmes.

She said the need for a new fixed dock for Spirit had arisen because the Sloop Foundation agreed in April last year to let the Millennium use its permanent spot at Dockyard, which was given by the West End Development Corporation to the charity as an “in kind” berth in 2006.

The arrangement with the Millennium was expected to be temporary but has now become permanent, meaning the Spirit has nowhere to park but at the extended dock until an alternative fixed berth is found.

“While the sloop is berthed on the outside Dockyard ferry stop arm today, we have been working around her given that we are trying to finalise an alternate berth for her nearby,” a Marine & Ports spokeswoman said yesterday.

“The agreed plan for the long term, subject to certain logistical factors, is for the sloop to be relocated to an existing berth within the north basin following the completion of a new berth that we are creating to accommodate the third tug, Edward M Stowe.

“The sloop can and will be moved if her presence impacts scheduled ferry services negatively or if the loading/unloading of wheelchair passengers becomes difficult with the tide.”

The spokeswoman added: “The Department of Marine & Ports have maintained a good working relationship with the Foundation from the Spirit’s inception and launch back in 2006 and we will continue to work together in the best interest of Bermuda and our local maritime community. The current berthing situation will be resolved.”

Ms Riviere agreed with that statement, adding: “For the past several months — since the tourism season started — we have been cooperating with them and moving the ship from the extended dock every day.

“The agreed-upon deadline for making a fixed berth available for us was when we came back from the Newport to Bermuda race. It’s not that I don’t think they are doing something. I think that they have legitimately been trying to figure out how to accommodate us.

“We are more than happy to move if we are given a place to go to. We don’t want Marine & Ports to feel as though we are not appreciative of all they have done for us.”

She said the initial arrangement involved the sloop berthing at a floating dock but this was deemed unsafe in winter weather. “We refused to go back to the floating dock but that’s because we did not feel it was appropriate for us.”