The Government of Antigua and Barbuda has acquired specialized heavy-duty dredging equipment to overcome significant geological obstacles that had paralyzed critical harbor development projects. Prime Minister Gaston Browne announced this strategic intervention during his appearance on the ‘Browne and Browne’ show on Pointe FM, revealing that previous dredging attempts at Parham Harbour had been completely halted by impenetrable rock formations and bedrock.
According to PM Browne, the substantial rock layers proved insurmountable for originally deployed machinery, ultimately compelling even a contracted Dutch dredging firm to withdraw from the project after their equipment failed to perform under the challenging conditions. This operational deadlock left the government with ‘no other choice’ but to procure a more robust mechanical solution capable of fragmenting and extracting the dense geological material.
The newly acquired dredger, which arrived disassembled, is presently being reconstructed on-site by technical crews. Prime Minister Browne projected that the machine will become operational within approximately one week. In a complementary move, the administration has arranged to lease an additional barge from Guadeloupe within the forthcoming fortnight to bolster the dredging operations.
Upon activation, work will recommence at Parham Harbour—locally referred to as Crabbs—with subsequent redeployment planned for St. John’s Harbour. PM Browne emphasized that the successful execution of these dredging activities is indispensable for enhancing maritime accessibility and facilitating the progression of associated port infrastructure developments, which are pivotal to the nation’s economic and logistical advancement.