Disney Cruise Line yesterday said it has selected Enco International (Bahamas), a Bahamian company, to perform key elements of environmental due diligence for its Lighthouse Point project.

The firm, which was selected through a competitive bidding process, will conduct geotechnical investigations at the south Eleuthera site that has been earmarked as the cruise line's second private port in The Bahamas.

Disney added that Enco International's work will help determine the most appropriate building techniques to use pending acceptance of the cruise line's Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environmental Management Plan (EMP).

The geotechnical work will begin within the next two weeks, it said, with the schedule already reviewed by The Bahamas Environment, Science & Technology (BEST) Commission, which offered no objections.

"We are committed to maximising Bahamian participation in this project, and our selection of Enco for this significant work through a competitive bid process is the result of our ongoing efforts to build relationships with Bahamian companies," said Jeff Vahle, Disney Cruise Line's president.

"To date, we have met with more than 70 companies that have expressed interest in assisting with our construction needs and we will continue to build relationships with them. We look forward to working with Enco to move this important work forward in a way that is consistent with our long-standing commitment to the environment."

Disney Cruise Line has worked closely with the BEST Commission to outline the methods that will be used for the geotechnical investigations, and has also created an environmental protection plan for the work. The geotechnical investigations will involve taking small core samples of sand and rock in places where structures will be built on land and over the water.

"Our team has worked on many complex projects over the years with a number of global companies, and we are particularly excited to be working with Disney, a brand we've grown up to know and love, and that also loves the environment," said Carlos Palacious, Enco's managing principal.

"They are extremely focused on the details and, above all, dedicated to approaching the Lighthouse Point project with the best intentions and the utmost respect for preserving the environment and celebrating the natural beauty of the site."

Enco said it plans to hire about half its workforce from Eleuthera. Economic activity will also be generated by the need for accommodations and other supplies for workers coming from other Bahamian islands during the four-month contract.

Disney Cruise Line completed its purchase of privately-owned Lighthouse Point earlier this year. Construction will begin only after the Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Management Plan are reviewed and accepted by the Government, and public consultation has occurred.

Disney has committed to develop less than 20 percent of the property and employ sustainable building practices, including an open-trestle pier that eliminates the need to dredge a ship channel. It said it will donate more than 190 acres of privately-owned land to the Bahamian people, and provide conservation education to employees, guests and vendors.