Major Development Undertaken at Ports

The Ministry of Housing, Transport, Water and Works continued to support and encourage infrastructural development at the island’s land, sea and air facilities last year, thus propelling further economic opportunities for the country in these areas.

            In this regard, major work was undertaken in phase five of the Kingston Container Terminal (KCT) expansion project.

            Speaking at a Rotary Club of Kingston luncheon last year, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Port Authority of Jamaica,  Noel Hylton said that phase five of the KCT expansion project was well underway and was expected to be completed in December 2007.

            Mr. Hylton said that the project, which was being done at a cost of US$250 million, would be able to facilitate an additional 1.7 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs), which will more than double the current 1.5         million rated transhipment capacity of KCT to 3.2 million TEU’s.

            “This phase is facilitating additional infrastructural development, including the construction of 475 metres of berth at the West Terminal, the paving of 66 hectares (161 acres) of yard space at the West Terminal, and the acquisition of state-of-the-art equipment,” he explained. 

            On the matter of container traffic at the Terminal, Mr. Hylton said that for the first quarter of 2006, traffic from existing lines using the KCT had grown by 36 per cent.

            He cited the agreement that the Authority had entered into with Maersk in November 2005, to make Kingston its regional hub port. Maersk is expected to provide additional business involving some 600,000 TEUs of throughput at the terminal…which will result in an additional 40 ship calls per month, thereby increasing Jamaica’s annual ship calls to approximately   2,100.

            In November 2006, the Port Authority of Jamaica also signed a five-year contract with Royal Caribbean Cruise Limited (RCCL), valued at US$16.5 million.

            The agreement is for  RCCL to  guarantee a minimum of 2,250,000 cruise ship passengers over the five-year period.

            In the meanwhile, Freedom of the Seas, the world’s largest and most     modern cruise ship, made its inaugural call to Jamaica in June last year, docking at the Montego Bay port in St. James. Freedom of the Seas, which is the flagship of Royal Caribbean International, is scheduled to call at the tourism         capital every Thursday during the course of  2007.

            Minister Robert Pickersgill was on hand to welcome the 4,000 passengers and 2,000 crew members. He said that the arrival of the ship underscored the strong partnership that existed between the Jamaica Tourist Board and Royal Caribbean.

            “Cruise shipping is a vital component of Jamaica’s tourism industry, which is one of the two main earners of foreign exchange for the country.  We consider Royal Caribbean cruise line as not only a very important player in the sector, but indeed a partner with us in the holiday cruise arena,” the Minister said.

Delta Airlines Make Debut

            As it relates to air travel, the major United States carrier, Delta Airlines, made its debut entry into the island in June, with 150 passengers on board from Atlanta to the Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA).

            Delta is the latest international carrier offering services to the island, with non-stop flights from its Atlanta hub to Kingston. This will bring to 17, the number of Caribbean destinations being served by Delta.

Airport

            Noting the expansion and re-development works being undertaken at the Norman Manley International Airport, Minister Pickersgill assured that while there would be instances of inconvenience, “steps will be taken to minimize the level of disruption and dislocation”.

            He further noted that works in phase 1A of the Norman Manley International Airport project would be substantially completed in time for ICC Cricket World Cup in March 2007.

            The works that were done in segment one under phase 1A included the construction of a new multi-level passenger pier for the separation of arriving and departing passengers.

            Four passenger loading bridges were installed at the new pier, while the Airport Information Technology (IT) systems, such as the access control and flight information system, were also upgraded.  New baggage screening and conveyor equipment were also installed.

            Other works being undertaken under phase 1A included major rehabilitation and upgrading of the terminal arrivals area, including the immigration and customs hall, as well as the arrival arcade and the arrival duty free shops and offices.

Cargo Warehouse

            Meanwhile, the first stage of the Cargo Warehouse Complex also referred to as the NMIA Cargo and Logistics Centre, was completed.

            Phase 1A, which commenced in 2004, is valued at US$80 million. Phase 1B is scheduled to last from 2008 to 2012 and is expected to cost some US$23 million.

            Work under phase 1B will include further expansion of existing buildings, construction of a new arrival area and relocation of the General Aviation Centre, the fire station and other support facilities.

            Phase Two, which is the final phase of the project, is slated to begin in 2013 and will end in 2022.  This leg will involve additional improvement and maintenance works to the terminal, landside, airfield and support areas of the facility at a cost of US$9 million. 

            “The fact that the age of much of the airport infrastructure and important equipment have exceeded their useful economic lives…makes the re-development of     the NMIA pressing,” Minister Pickersgill asserted.