Overtime ban disrupts schedule more than Gert

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17: It’s been a tough week down at the docks with industrial action and threats of tropical storms.

The dockers’ overtime ban has dented the shipping schedule far more than Tropical Storm Gert did as it brushed by the island on Monday.

Gert did mean that the Explorer of the Seas’ arrival was put back by a few hours on Monday morning.

She arrived in Dockyard at 11:40am — nearly five hours later than planned. But the Explorer of the Seas was the only vessel to be troubled by the tropical storm.

The overtime ban however will see the Somers Isles container ship head back across the Atlantic five days later than planned.

She was originally due to depart last Friday — but is due to leave today. Fortunately the Somers Isles was due to skip a week next week and so should be back again on schedule.

Veendam

The Bermuda Islander will arrive in Hamilton tomorrow and should be able to make her departure time of 4:30pm on Friday if rain does not prevent the Stevedore workers from unloading and the re-loading her.

Elsewhere this week it’s just cruise liners, which should not be affected by the overtime ban.

The Veendam was able to stop in briefly in St. George’s yesterday — but only for a few hours rather than the full day — to ensure there were people on the Hamilton Docks to tie her up.

She arrived into Hamilton at 2:30pm, which meant the dockers were able to help bring her alongside.

It was announced this week that the Veendam will be completely skipping St George’s next season as it will just dock at Hamilton.

There’s the usual duo of the Norwegian Gem and Celebrity Summit in the west end for the next couple of days.

And this weekend sees the arrival of the Explorer of the Seas and the Norwegian Dawn in Dockyard.