News
JAM | Mar 20, 2023

NMIA to be new home of Tinson Pen Aerodrome

/ Our Today

administrator
Reading Time: 2 minutes
External view of the main administrative building at the Tinson Pen Aerodrome, located at 7 Ashenheim Rd, Kingston. (Photo: Airports Authority of Jamaica)

Durrant Pate/Contributor

The Tinson Pen Aerodrome in New Port West is being relocated to the Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA).

This is being done as part of plans by the government to expand the Port of Kingston. As such, the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) is now in negotiations with the concession operator of the port of Kingston, Kingston Freeport Terminal Limited to lease sections of the West Lands between the port and the Portmore causeway.

This is to accommodate an expansion of the storage area to reduce congestion on the terminal. Prime Minister Andrew Holness unveiled the plans during his contribution to the 2023/24 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives last Thursday (March 17).

Holness highlighted the need for more container storage capacity on the port whilst pointing to the growing demand for near-port logistics, assembly and light manufacturing.

He stated that the PAJ has already developed plans to build out more of these facilities, noting that the only land now available to facilitate the expansion of the near-port logistics is Tinson Pen.

Relocating the aerodrome

According to the prime minister, “I have directed that the Port Authority, the Airports Authority, and the National Works Agency develop a comprehensive plan to enable use of the Tinson Pen lands for this purpose,” which will involve the transfer of operations of the Tinson Pen Aerodrome to NMIA.”

Prime Minister Andrew Holness making his contribution to the 2023/24 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives, on Thursday, March 16, 2023. Photo taken March 16, 2023. (Photo: JIS)

With this in mind, the prime minister announced that Marcus Garvey Drive would also be realigned to run behind the Tinson Pen Lands, releasing approximately 100 acres of land to be seamlessly incorporated into the curtilage of the port.

“These two developments, along with ongoing work on the Caymanas Special Economic Zone will set the stage for a doubling of the capacity of the Port of Kingston and fulfil the shared vision of Jamaica becoming a logistics hub. This administration is taking the bold steps to turn vision into reality,” Holness told Members of Parliament.

Comments

What To Read Next