Grenada Ports Authority

4 Business View Magazine The British seized control of the island in 1778 and settlers took advantage of the harbor's potential as a naval base. They made petitions through 1889 to the British government to develop the inner harbor, but were repeatedly turned down by the admiralty. At- tention then turned to winning commercial traffic, but, while a detailed survey was carried out in 1895, no further action was taken until St. George's first jetty was constructed more than 40 years later. Cargo handling prior to that point had been carried out using lighters that were tediously loaded and discharged along the Carenage by three cranes. Op- erations were revolutionized in 1938 by the construc- tion of an 850-foot wooden pier with 30 feet of depth alongside. Upon its completion, vessels could berth alongside the quay and discharge cargo directly into storage sheds because the pier was connected to the land by a rubber bank. The pier lasted just 16 years, though, until it was de- stroyed by Hurricane Janet, prompting the return of cumbersome lighters to the port until a new 800-foot quay – more durable than its predecessor – opened in 1958 with a connection to the land by more than three acres of hardstanding. The quay remains in use, although it now forms part of a much longer quay and container stacking area. A 12-foot channel was dredged into the lagoon in 1960, creating a haven for yachts and small craft. User demand prompted the authority to develop a port expansion project in 1996, a US$11.5 million under- taking that was completed in 2000 and involved land reclamation behind the existing pier and extension of the main quay farther into the lagoon. The port also es- tablished a welcome center at the northern end of the quay to ease passenger flow of passengers through