The ferry terminal in Hamilton could be moved temporarily to a different part of Albuoy's Point while work is carried out on the new dock for the fast ferry, The Royal Gazette has learned.

A floating dock attached to the existing dock will be built for the front loading fast ferry, which is scheduled to begin operations in January next year.

Part of the dock will also have to be raised by three feet, said Marine and Ports assistant director Mike Dolding.

The engineering work has not received planning approval yet and has not gone out to tender.

Neither have plans been finalised nor tenders issued for the new dock which will need to be built at Rockaway in Southampton, where park-and-ride facilities will be built.

Mr. Dolding, said one option the contractor could look at is moving the terminal to another part of Albuoy's point temporarily, or phasing in the work.

He told The Royal Gazette the schedule for completing the work was tight, but he was optimistic it could be completed by January.

"It is intended for the ferry to be operational in January 2002 and we hope the works at Hamilton terminal will be completed prior to the boats going into service. We are trying to meet deadlines, but there is a lot of work to be done. We are busting a gut to ensure we can meet the deadlines, but it's quite complex and there are a lot of things to happen before it can be achieved.

Docks could be moved "In Hamilton there will be floating docks so that the dock goes up and down with the tide to result in a seamless interface, so we don't have ramps.'' Mr. Dolding said Works and Engineering, which will commission the project, will be hoping to keep disruption to a minimum during the construction.

"They will also have to raise the existing dock by around three feet and that's quite a problem -- how to do it with a ferry terminal that is busy on a daily basis.

"We are trying to make plans to keep disruption to a minimum. It is still a bit up in the air as we have to get a contractor on board first to see how we approach the job.

" We are making plans to minimise the inconvenience to passengers, but quite how they are going to work it has not been decided.'' Mr. Dolding said it was anticipated the work would take three months to complete.