Durrant Pate/ Contributor

Jamaica is pushing forward in developing its alternative marine fuels market and is now being used as a global test case, as global shipping transitions towards low and zero-carbon energy.

To this extent, Jamaica recently hosted a National Stakeholder Workshop, organised by the Maritime Authority of Jamaica (MAJ), in collaboration with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), exploring Jamaica’s potential role in the supply and demand of alternative marine fuels. The workshop formed part of the GreenVoyage2050 study being undertaken by the IMO, which is a specialised agency of the United Nations regulating maritime transport.

The Alternative Marine Fuel Study is assessing Jamaica’s potential to produce and bunker fuels such as biofuels, methanol, ammonia and hydrogen with the aim of delivering evidence-based recommendations and a practical roadmap aligned with the IMO Greenhouse Gas Strategy. The study brought together public and private sector stakeholders to examine market demand, supply potential, infrastructure readiness, regulatory considerations and investment priorities. 

The findings from the workshop will feed into the final study and inform a regional roundtable discussion later in Trinidad and Tobago, supporting a coordinated Caribbean approach to alternative marine fuel development. Director General of the MAJ, Bertrand Smith, emphasised, “For Jamaica, the current pause in the adoption of the IMO Net Zero Framework presents an opportunity. It gives us the space to assess the economic impact on our shipping industry and the wider economy, and to carry out studies like this Alternative Fuel Study, so we are ready to take advantage of the benefits that will come with the decarbonisation of shipping. The reality is that the shipping industry is and will continue to decarbonise. LNG has emerged as a transition fuel, but we are also seeing the rapid development of scalable, low-carbon, hydrogen-derived e-fuels and ammonia, which have moved from concept to firm orders.”



Jamaica’s strategic maritime advantages, including its location close to major east-west shipping routes and the depth of Kingston Harbour, were a central focus of discussions. The MAJ boss reported, “We are leveraging these assets to ensure Jamaica is not left behind in the energy transition and to strengthen our position as a regional shipping and bunkering hub.”


The workshop also reflected the growth already taking place in Jamaica’s bunkering sector, with five operators now active, including Shell LNG, alongside increasing LNG bunkering volumes at Kingston and the outer anchorage and growing ship-to-ship activity at Portland Bight. Alongside market developments, work is progressing on the policy and regulatory framework needed to support a competitive and secure bunkering sector. Smith explained that Jamaica is developing a modern legal framework to support a sustainable and secure maritime transport system, including standards for safe and competitive bunkering.

The industry expects this legislation to be passed this year. Plenary sessions and interactive workshops were led by a global engineering consultancy firm with headquarters in Amersfoort, Netherlands, Haskoning is supporting the IMO and MAJ in delivering the study. Participants included the Ministry of Energy, Transport and Telecommunications, the Port Authority of Jamaica, Petrojam, West Indies Petroleum, Kingston Freeport Terminal, Caribbean Maritime University, Scott Bunkering Jamaica, Environmental Solutions and other key regulators and industry stakeholders.



“This work is about ensuring Jamaica is prepared, competitive and well-positioned as the shipping industry moves towards clean maritime energy,” the MAJ President said in concluding.