Delegation seeing first hands Jamaica’s maritime infrastructure

Jamaica’s maritime community is this week welcoming a delegation from Belize in order to share information and best practice in relation to shipping operations, environmental compliance and the blue economy.

The delegation is led by the country’s Minister of Public Utilities, Energy, Logistics and e-Governance Michel Chebat. The seven-strong delegation arrived last Sunday and will spend this week visiting key areas of Jamaica’s maritime infrastructure to see first-hand how they operate.

Today the delegation visited the Maritime Authority of Jamaica (MAJ) in Kingston, which is responsible for the administration and enforcement of Jamaica’s shipping policy. It also enunciated part of a maritime development policy, which focused on the structured expansion of ship registration and crewing activities with the objective of maximising the potential of the maritime sector in contributing to the socio-economic well-being of the nation.

The delegation was briefed on roles and responsibilities of the MAJ before enjoying lunch with key MAJ staff. They also visited Port Bustamante to observe Port State Control in operation.

MAJ Marine Surveyor Kenre Valentine, who is acting as liaison officer for the visit, said the authority is “delighted to welcome Belize to our shores and privileged to be able to share with them our knowledge and expertise in maritime administration”.

Later in the afternoon the delegation paid a courtesy called on Jamaica’s Transport and Mining Minister Audley Shaw, followed by a trip to Jamaica’s industry-leading Caribbean Maritime University (CMU), where they will meet Professor Evan Duggan, president of the CMU.

The team toured the CMU facilities and learnt how Jamaica trains its maritime cadets to prepare them for a range of careers including merchant shipping and cruise-sector hospitality roles. Today’s programme will conclude with the viewing of a small vessel inspection administered by the MAJ.

For the remainder of the visit the delegation will be hosted by the Port Authority of Jamaica, before departing early on Friday morning.

For his part, Rear Admiral (ret’d) Peter Brady, director general of the MAJ commented that, “as a longstanding member of the Council of the International Maritime Organization, Jamaica has a responsibility to share its experience with the wider Caribbean region to enable our whole maritime community to benefit from Jamaica’s international perspective”.

Brady added: “As an island state, Jamaica considers itself as a responsible maritime State which believes in the spirit of technical cooperation and the sharing of its expertise with regional States, of which Belize is one and also a partner country.”