Another First for Port Castries

For the first time in the history of Port Castries, a cruise ship has docked in the harbor 'Mediterranean style'. The Costa Mediterranean, at 957 ft long could not find space in an already congested Port and would have anchored outside the Castries harbor, but on Friday, January 15th, 2010 a request was made for it to dock 'Mediterranean style'.

Mediterranean style docking, which originated many years ago in Mediterranean

Ports, is a maneuver in which ships drop anchor, reverse into a harbor and secure the back with stern lines to the docks. The Pilots of the St. Lucia Air and Seaports

Authority seized the challenge and in the process earned high commendations for successfully docking the passenger vessel.

SLASPA Senior Pilot Nichalan Myers says this made it more convenient for cruise ship passengers, as their ship was now anchored just one minute away from the docks as opposed to anchoring half a mile outside Port Castries.

Mediterranean Style Docking has been done here before with smaller cargo vessels but this was the first time a cruise passenger ship had used this maneuver in Port Castries.

Source: Caribbean Business Report