Empty containers beginning to stack up on Hamilton docks

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24: Two engineers were flown into Bermuda at the weekend to provide running repairs to a passing ship.

The two men arrived on the island on Sunday evening on the British Airways flight while the liquid natural gas carrier, Lagos, was anchored off St David’s at Five Fathom Hole.

The crew transfer took place at just before 8pm on Sunday. The engineers will join the crew of the Lagos for the remainder of their voyage from Nigeria to Maryland in the US.

They will conduct running repairs to the ship’s engine as she continues to sail west.

Last weekend also saw the tanker Nordic Helsinki visit both the east and the west end to deliver fuel.

She headed into the Oil Docks in St George’s on Saturday afternoon before transferring to Dockyard the next day.

The Nordic Helsinki left Bermuda Monday morning bound for Portsmouth in New Hampshire.

The Sea Victory will be in the east end on Thursday siphoning off gasoline and other fuels before heading off again on Friday morning.

All three container ships are in this week and with the overtime ban continuing the number of empty containers on the docks is beginning to mount.

The ban has meant that the three ships have been forced to leave with less “empties” in order to keep on schedule.

As a result the empty containers are piling up on the docks — where space is already at a premium.

The Somers Isles arrived yesterday and is expected to leave slightly behind schedule on Friday afternoon.

While the Bermuda Islander will arrive tomorrow morning and should be able to depart on Friday afternoon too if all goes well.

Finally the Oleander will arrive in Hamilton on Sunday but will remain fully loaded until Monday morning when the Stevedore employees come back to work.

Cruise ships

The overtime ban also means that the Veendam came straight into Hamilton yesterday and bypass St George’s altogether.

The cruise ship usually arrives in the capital late Tuesday evening — but with the overtime ban in force — no one would be on duty at Hamilton docks to bring the boat alongside if she maintained her original schedule.

The Norwegian Dawn, Celebrity Summit and thousands of tourists from the U.S. arrive in Dockyard today.

While this Saturday the Carnival Fantasy arrives in the west end for her fourth trip of the year so far.

She originates in Charleston and will head home on Sunday at 11am.