At the town of Falmouth in NW Jamaica, Ístak in conjunction with Pihl & Son of Denmark is constructing facilities to simultaneously accommodate two large cruise ships. Pihl is constructing the piers, whilst Ístak is to build all land based structures. Preparations for Ístak’s work are now in full swing, with five engineers and a foreman on site and a further three engineers based in Florida where design management and material procurement is being done.
Included in Pihl’s work is to drive sheet piles, dredge the harbour and do landfill. This is done with large machines, but labour is also required, as some 60 divers are currently working on removing corals, from where the harbour is to be dredged, to safer areas. This is done for the sake of the environment to preserve the ocean ecology. The target of driving the last sheet pile was achieved in January.
Ístak is to build 20 houses of various sizes in the harbour area, all in the likeness of 18th century Georgian buildings, some of which still remain in the old town of Falmouth.
Passengers from the world’s largest cruise ships from Royal Caribbean Cruises, who is Ístak’s client, will step ashore here.

The Ístak personnel, preparing to start construction in March, is working on planning, obtaining permits and making purchase and subcontract agreements.
Ístak will eventually have over 20 managers involved, but local labour will carry out the physical building work, either directly under Ístak supervision, or as subcontractors. Björn, the General foreman did however undertake construction of a retaining wall for Pihl, just to get into gear.
Attached photographs: 1) Ístak’s advance team posing for a picture. From left: Þráinn Sigurbjarnarson, Ingimar Ragnarsson, Brynjar Brjánsson, Björn Friðþjófsson, Árni Geir Sveinsson and Erlingur Leifsson 2) Proud General foreman Björn with his first wall. 3) General foreman Björn, with his concrete crew. 4) Street scene from Falmouth, where many houses are much more colourful than in Iceland.