A dock next to the airport has returned as part of a Bermuda Tourism Authority bid to increase marine transport.

The temporary dock in Castle Harbour, near Kindley Field Road, was created in in May 2017 for the America’s Cup sailing races, but was removed after the event finished.

But the concrete piles that supported the structure remained and the dock was kept in storage.

Glenn Jones, the interim BTA CEO, said the return of the dock was part of an drive to encourage more businesspeople to get into marine transport.

Mr Jones added: "The Bermuda Tourism Authority is a strong advocate for infrastructure projects that facilitate visitor transport on the water.

“In our Experience Investment Programme, relaunching next month, we will prioritise entrepreneur ideas that offer water transport options to visitors because we believe this will differentiate Bermuda from other destinations."

The programme will restart with a virtual workshop on February 25 and submissions for financial support can be made between March 1 and March 15.

The BTA said in its Outlook Forum 2021 that it wanted entrepreneurial ideas that could be reality by the autumn.

Mike Winfield, the CEO of ACBDA, the Bermudian organisation involved in the running of the races, said before the dock was removed that it had been useful for coping with the large number of people who visited for the America’s Cup.

Mr Winfield added: “While the ACBDA has had discussions with various entities that may take future ownership of the dock and its maintenance on an ongoing basis, there has been no definitive agreement and, as a result, we have no option but to remove the dock at this time.”

But he said that the organisation was hopeful that the dock would be reinstalled at a later date “for the benefit of Bermuda's local boaters and visitors”.