Sansouci Port of Santo Domingo has announced the signing of a service agreement with Coralux S.A. to dredge and maintain the Ozama River estuary where cruise ships dock. The RD$140 million investment will be spent on improving the area used by visiting cruise ships. The investment will also fund the expansion of the Sans Souci tourism dock on the eastern side of the port and a major cleanup and improvement of the port in order to facilitate the arrival of larger tonnage ships, Sansouci Port director Jaime Castillo told El Caribe. The dredging will also make it possible for more commercial ships to dock at the port, a bonus for Dominican exports and imports.
Castillo said that 30-40% of the material that is extracted is solid waste dumped in the rivers and dragged downstream affecting the port area. Castillo called for increased government support to reduce pollution in the Isabela and Ozama rivers at the source. The government is undertaking the relocation of the La Barranquita slum area that is expected to make a major contribution to reducing pollution in the river.
www.elcaribe.com.do/2013/08/27/invertiran-140-millones-pesos-puerto