Dom Republic
P&O Dominica is now handling tug operations at the Port of Caucedo.
Haiti
Hats off to privately operated Terminal Varreux in Port-au-Prince, which despite being located close to Cite de Soleil, a neighbourhood which experiences frequent gang-related violence, has kept its port facility open to international shipping and coastal vessels during the period of civil unrest. The terminal is receiving basic food necessities and a variety cargo such as: food commodities, petrochemicals and gas, construction materials and containers. Richard Lebrun, managing director at Terminal Varreux says he is dedicated to keeping the flow of goods open and is thankful that the local authorities are securing nearby access roads.
Trinidad and Tobago
The Shipping Association of Trinidad and Tobago (SATT) has a new general manager. Michelle Mulcare took over in February and brings her experience in brand revitalisation and a practical take on improving strategic branding capabilities to the role. Ms Mulcare comes with a wealth of experience having previously worked for the Trinidad Building and Loans Association and Government Human Resources Services. SATT hopes her arrival will ensure the company continues to be at the top of organisations within the sector.
The Bahamas
Nassau Cruise Port witnessed an unprecedented seven ships with over 20,000 passengers on board calling at the port on 12 March. The seven ships comprised Carnival Liberty, Vision of the Seas, Disney Wish, Independence of the Seas, Sea Cloud Spirit, Carnival Paradise, and Carnival Elation. The record-breaking day follows the official opening of the newly redeveloped Nassau Cruise Port in May 26 last year. Under the management of Global Port Holding, the upgraded port now has six improved berths capable of accommodating mega-yachts and the largest cruise ships in the world, including Oasis-class and Icon-class vessels.
IMO
The delegation of the Caribbean group’s meeting in London with new IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez helped highlight the region’s commitment to championing Caribbean perspectives in the maritime industry. This group consisted of delegates from Belize, Grenada, Jamaica, Antigua a d Barbuda, Suriname, Barbados, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, as well as Dominica.
Trinidad and Tobago
The Director of Ocean and Climate Change, UN Foundations Kerrlene Wills, met with UTT's Maritime Studies, MTCC Caribbean, CARIBMEPA, the Shipping Association of Trinidad and Tobago and the Trinidad and Tobago Pilots' Association. During the meeting, the urgency of regional representation in climate action negotiations within the maritime sector was discussed. Opportunities for collaboration emerged, underscoring the Caribbean’s distinctive challenges and opportunities in decarbonising the sector. The meeting was held at the SATT office in Port of Spain. Guyane The wind-assisted Canopée on a recent call at Pariacabo with parts for the Ariane rocket launch site.
Geest Line
Capt Peter Dixon retired as managing director in April after 29 years of service – 14 of them as MD – with Geest Line. He is replaced by Rob Waterman. At the same time, Geest Line has unveiled its ‘Banana Container’. The brand-new reefer container has been painted yellow to stand out in the crowd, making it easier to track as it moves between the Caribbean, UK and Europe. The container will take temperature-controlled produce out to the Caribbean before returning to Europe loaded with bananas. If you see the container (there is only one), take a photo and tag #bananabox
United States Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands Port Authority and Tropical Shipping have officially signed agreements to rehabilitate and expand the 20-acre Crown Bay Cargo Port in St Thomas and the 45-acre Wilfred ‘Bomba’ Allick Port and Transshipment Center in Krause Lagoon, St Croix. VIPA Executive Director Carlton Dowe and Tropical Shipping President Timothy P. Martin executed long-term lease agreements in January at a meeting held at Tropical’s headquarters in Riviera Beach, Florida.
Puerto Rico
Global Ports Holding has begun operations in San Juan Cruise Port, Puerto Rico. A multi-million-dollar financing deal has given San Juan Cruise Port cruise port operations with immediate effect and paves the way for much-needed repairs, reconstruction and upgrades.
SEACOR
Florida-headquartered King Ocean Services has acquired SEACOR Island Lines, a fellow Florida-based carrier with Ro/Ro and lift-on/lift-off services to various islands in Turks and Caicos and The Bahamas. SEACOR Island Lines operates a fleet of eight Panama-registered vessels – six landing craft and two general cargo vessels.
Jamaica
Kingston Wharves (KWL) has commissioned its redeveloped Berth 7. The berth redevelopment project represents an investment of US$ 30 million and is a key part of the US$ 60 million the company has earmarked since upgrading of its facilities in Kingston began in 2020. Over 182.5 metres of berth were reconstructed, dredged and extended seaward allowing KWL to handle larger vessels. The work was undertaken by US firms Brayman FSI Construction and Shoreline Foundation.
Colombia
Marking the first bulk grain operation at Sociedad Portuaria Mardique – a privately owned multi-purpose facility – the Liberian flagged Bulk Bequia arrived with over 59,000 tonnes, unloading close to 16,000 tonnes at the terminal to lighten the vessel before entering the port of Barranquilla. Over 65% of the vessel’s cargo was unloaded as a direct operation, with more than 300 trucks attended in just over 48 hours.
Florida
The Port of Palm Beach is among several Florida seaports experiencing milestones in ship calls as well as record revenue. For the first time in more than a decade, all berths at the Port of Palm Beach were occupied with container ships, cargo ships, a cruise ship, barges and yachts berthed on February 1. “This achievement is unheard of in my 22-year tenure as a Port Commissioner,” Port of Palm Beach Board of Commission Chairman Wayne Richards said. “Internal figures from Fiscal Year 2023 reveal we saw an 11 percent increase in net operating revenue, coupled with a seven percent reduction in operating expenses, resulting in a US$4.8M total net income. That is a $3.3M increase from the FY 2023 budget.” Richards credits the additional revenue to operational changes related to the cruise industry and strategic improvements in the cargo areas.
Trinidad and Tobago
Boskalis-operated semi-submersible heavy-lift vessel White Marlin has been deployed in Trinidad as a make-shift floating dry dock. By submerging the vessel, Boskalis enabled three of the four fast ferries – APT James, Buccoo Reef and T&T Spirit – of Trinidad and Tobago Inter-Island Transportation Co – to be loaded in succession onto the deck of the White Marlin, after which the vessel de-ballasted so that the necessary maintenance on the ferries could be carried out on a dry deck. This is not the first time Boskalis has used one of its semi-submersible heavy transport vessel for this purpose in the region. Previously, the BOKA Vanguard served as a floating dry dock in The Bahamas for the 67,000-ton cruise ship Carnival Vista.
Jamaica
Kalmar, part of Cargotec, has concluded an agreement to supply Kingston Freeport Terminal Limited (KFTL) with 12 Kalmar hybrid straddle carriers. Delivery of all equipment will be completed during Q2 2024. KFTL is a strategic transshipment hub in the Caribbean and part of Terminal Link, a joint venture between CMA CGM and China Merchants Port (CMP). The 12 Kalmar hybrid straddle carriers are part of a progressive fleet geared towards improving performance, reliability and sustainability at the terminal. In addition to Kalmar straddle carriers, KFTL’s equipment fleet includes Kalmar reachstackers, empty container handlers and terminal tractors.
Trinidad And Tobago
La Brea Industrial Development Co (LABIDCO) welcomed the UK’s ASCO Group as its newest shore-based operator at the Port of Brighton. ASCO, which had previously used the Port of Brighton as a base for its operations, will provide onshore support and logistics services for a major upstream company in Trinidad and Tobago.
Guyana
Jumbo Offshore Installation Contractors BV has been awarded a contract by MODEC Guyana Inc for the pre-installation of the mooring spread of the FPSO Errea Wittu, which will be located offshore Guyana. The FPSO Errea Wittu will have the capacity to store two million barrels of oil. It will produce approximately 250,000 barrels of oil per day and will have gas treatment capacity of 540 million cubic feet per day and water injection capacity of 350,000 barrels per day. MODEC Group was authorised to proceed with the engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) scope for the FPSO in May 2023, following a final investment decision on the Uaru project by ExxonMobil Guyana Limited and its co-venturers.
Crowley
Crowley and Carbon Ridge Inc, a leading developer of modular onboard carbon capture and storage solutions (OCCS), have initiated an advanced pilot project to reduce emissions impacts using its Storm international container ship. Working with support from the US Maritime Administration (MARAD) Maritime Environmental and Technical Assistance (META) program, The companies will make use of Carbon Ridge’s patent-pending, second generation carbon capture technology.Alog with MARAD, they have executed a cooperative agreement for the pilot program to operate, measure and optimize the technology’s effectiveness in actual maritime environments at port and ultimately at sea. The collaboration includes the engineering, manufacturing and integration of a small capacity version of Carbon Ridge’s full-scale carbon capture system. “The advancement of the pilot project represents a milestone in the emerging technology for carbon capture. With its potential for significant emissions reductions through retrofitting or during new building, ship owners and operators have the opportunity to future-proof their vessels for incoming regulations, as well as reach internal goals for decarbonization and reduced emissions impacts,” said Carbon Ridge CEO Chase Dwyer. Crowley’s engineering services group is leading the integration of the pilot system on the Storm, which serves the US and Caribbean Basin. The carbon capture system will be housed in two 40-foot container units on the vessel’s main deck and have an additional 20-foot ISO-certified tank for storing the captured liquid CO2. The pilot project is expected to capture 1 metric ton per day from the vessel’s main engine. Installation of the pilot unit on the vessel is expected in 2024 after onshore testing is completed. Jamaica Rear Admiral (Ret’d) Peter Brady has retired (that’s two retirements) from the Maritime Authority of Jamaica (MAJ), having served as its director general since the Authority’s launch in 1999. As director general, Rear Admiral Brady was largely responsible for elevating Jamaica’s maritime status regionally and globally. Bertrand Smith has been appointed as the new director general.
Florida
Port Everglades has taken delivery of three 53-meter-high Super Post-Panamax container gantry cranes. Valued at US$15.1 million each, each crane can handle containers stacked eight high from a ship’s deck and reach 22 containers across the deck.
Antigua and Barbuda
The WiMAC Antigua and Barbuda Chapter has been launched with former WiMAC president Tamara Lowe-James in attendance. Chapter president is Shenica Sebastien from the Department Marine Services and Merchant Shipping (ADOMS).
Guyana
Blue Water Shipping managed and executed the arrival of Vreed-en-Hoop Shorebase's (VEHSI) first commercial vessel, the bulkcarrier Virtuous Striker. It is the largest cargo ship to dock in the Demerara River. Richard DeNobrega, Vice President Sales and Development at Blue Shipping said: “We are extremely happy to be part of this momentous occasion. VEHSI has and will continue to transform Guyana’s port infrastructure by increasing and improving its capacity to handle much larger vessels and cargo volumes. Providing expertise in a solutions driven environment enables the clients we serve to perform superbly and underscores our commitment to operations excellence.”
Guyane
Grand Port Maritime Guyane is taking a major step towards modernising the Oversea Department’s main commercial port with the installation of quay cranes built by the Franco-Chinese consortium Automatismes Etudes Services/Dinson (AES). After a period of testing and the training of the crane drivers –employees of the Groupement des entreprises manutentionnaires de Guiana (GEMAG) – the two rail-mounted cranes will be gradually put into operation from June 2024. An investment of €14 million, including €7.15 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and €7 million (50% ERDF and 50% State) for the construction of the running tracks and the installation of the rails.
The Bahamas
French foundation and soil technologies firm Soletanche Bachy International – in a joint venture with Soletanche-Bachy Colombia and The Bahamas’ Island Site Development – has been selected by Carnival Corporation to construct the new piers for Celebration Key. Celebration Key, a private destination on Grand Bahama, will open in summer 2025. Designed to receive two Carnival Cruise Lines Excel-class ships simultaneously, the piers will take around a year to be completed. The joint venture will mobilize important Bahamian and international resources to carry out the construction and will use equipment and construction techniques designed to minimize the environmental impact during and after construction. Carnival has since announced a doubling of its plans for Celebration Key, adding another US$100 million in investment. By 2026, expansions will mean four of Carnival's Excel-class vessels can berth at Celebration Key.
Xpress Feeders
X-Press Feeders has brought back the Panama Venezuela X-Press (PVX) service with a refreshed rotation. The new bi-weekly PVX will significantly improve coverage in the region by extending the feeder operator’s services to La Guaira and Puerto Cabello. The service rotation will be Manzanillo, Cartagena, La Guaira, Puerto Cabello, Manzanillo.
Jamaica
Bertrand ‘Bert’ Smith has been appointed the director general of the Maritime Authority of Jamaica (MAJ). He took up his new position at the start of April. This is an in-house appointment. Smith previously served as director, legal affairs and a member of the Authority’s senior executive team with over 25 years of experience in the shipping industry with expertise in maritime and international law.
The Bahamas
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) (comprising Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises) is to construct a new, multi-berth pier at its Great Stirrup Cay private island resort. The development is scheduled to break ground mid 2024 and to be completed by late 2025 – an investment of approximately US150 million. The new pier will be able to accommodate two large NCLH cruiseships. NCLH has owned Great Stirrup Cay since buying the 268-acre island in 1977.
Florida
The Broward County Commission has approved the appointment of Glenn A. Wiltshire as Acting Director of Broward County's Port Everglades Department. Wiltshire, the previous Deputy Port Director, took over in February following the departure of CEO and Port Director Jonathan Daniels (see CM issue 48) to become Executive Director of Maryland Port Administration and the Port of Baltimore.
Trinidad and Tobago
The Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (PATT) has commissioned of the Konecranes SMV 37-1200C ready for operation. The forklift is the latest of in a series of equipment deliveries from Konecranes to PATT.
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