The cargo ship Oleander is to be unloaded in Dockyard when the Hamilton docks close for urgent repairs this month, it was revealed yesterday.

The announcement came after a meeting between representatives of Bermuda Container Line, Stevedoring Services Limited and West End Development Corporation.

Richard Todd, of BCL, said the company was “pleased to be able to get a Dockyard discharge of cargo in order to top up needed supplies for our customers during the week of the Hamilton dock closure.”

Warren Jones, of Stevedoring Services, said that dockworkers had “no problem” offloading the cargo ship in the West End.

Mr Jones added: “Our issue was safety and getting the Hamilton dock repaired.

“We are glad that there has been a win-win solution that we can be a part of.”

Andrew Dias, general manager at Wedco, said the company was “pleased” to provide a back-up berth for the ship.

Mr Dias said: “Although this came at short notice, it is a testament to everyone’s willingness to find a solution that the three organisations could bring this about.”

It was revealed last week that Hamilton docks would close for urgent repairs between March 11 and 18.

Mr Jones said then that a number of factors including extra demand for imports during last summer’s America’s Cup and Corporation of Hamilton budget shortfalls meant the docks had “steadily decayed”.