Jamaica closer to logistics target

[Jangle]

Jamaica’s thrust towards becoming a global logistics hub received a major boost with the launch of a multibillion-dollar shipyard on Monday, January 23.

The project, which is being spearheaded by German Ship Repair Jamaica (GSRJ) on the Sir Florizel Glasspole section of the Kingston Harbour, signals a US$37-million (J$6-billion) injection towards improving the island’s competitiveness in the maritime sector.


The first phase of the shipyard, a place where ships are built or repaired, will be a floating dry dock with steel fabrication and engine workshops that is scheduled for completion by November of this year.

https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/...gistics-target

[Jangle]

KWL builds capacity to strengthen competitiveness

Kingston Wharves Limited (KWL), following the build-out of its terminal and logistic infrastructure accompanied by the use of technology, said that it is working to strengthen its competitiveness while positioning its port operation as a key gateway in the Caribbean.

Reporting increased revenues of $9.5 billion at the end of its 2022 financial year — 9 per cent above the prior year — the company said it continues to make capital investments in an effort to improve the functionality of its logistics space and to drive the efficiency of services, this even after incurring major FX losses due to an appreciation of the Jamaican dollar in 2022.

"We continue to develop our infrastructure and digital architecture through a structured programme of berth redevelopment and off dock warehouse construction aimed at relocating cargo storage facilities [and in turn increasing the available yard space on our terminal].

"The berth 7 redevelopment project is progressing well, and destined to deliver modernised berthing capacity, efficiency, and enhanced experience to shipping lines that call our terminal. Specifically, the project will see the expansion of the main berthing area to simultaneously service two post panamax vessels," Chairman Jeffery Hall said in the company's annual report to shareholders.

Having invested over US$60 million to undertake berth redevelopment activities and to expand its warehousing space, the port operator is pushing to make its operations more nimble as it looks to take advantage of the growth in nearshoring opportunities.

https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/busi...mpetitiveness/

[Jangle]

Jamaica must become ‘logistics hub of the region’

Developing Jamaica into a more robust global logistics centre, that connects the Americas to the rest of the world, has been outlined as a key aim of the Andrew Holness administration.

The Government’s intention to promote economic expansion at the Port of Kingston, the seventh-largest natural harbour in the world, was made clear by Senator Aubyn Hill, minister of industry, investment, and commerce, during a press briefing held yesterday at the corporate office of Kingston Wharves Limited.

It was also disclosed that the Kingston Freeport Terminal Limited would be expanding its infrastructure and supporting equipment to increase its current capacity by 30 per cent.

“The European Union understands that we want to become the logistics hub. We speak English, we’re closer to the Panama Canal, we ship to Europe, and we have people who can be trained. So, that’s the bigger picture,” Hill said.

Hill: Jamaica must become ‘logistics hub of the region’ | Lead Stories | Jamaica Gleaner (jamaica-gleaner.com)

[Jangle]

BATTLE FOR THE SEAS

Petrojam, WIP vie for control of Jamaica’s bunkering market

PETROJAM Limited, Jamaica’s State-owned oil refinery, announced plans Wednesday to re-enter the marine fuel market directly challenging private competitor West Indies Petroleum (WIP) amid a shifting energy landscape.

The refinery’s push to become a “global bunkering hub” comes just over a decade after Petrojam exited the marine bunkering business in favour of selling fuel to other suppliers who operate in that space, especially around the Kingston Harbour. Petrojam exited the marine bunkering business in 2013, and instead had been focusing on selling marine fuel from its road tanker wagons (RTWs) — the trucks which haul fuel across the island– to ports in Montego Bay, St Ann and Portland. It however said it is seeing opportunities to re-enter the market to sell marine fuel to vessels on the high seas in Jamaica’s Outer Port Limits (OPL), mainly ships traversing the Panama Canal corridor without scheduled stops, and has started conversations with cruise liners to take the fuel.

https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2025...-for-the-seas/

[Jangle]

Kingston Wharves targets LAC top spot in vehicle transshipment

[B]KINGSTON Wharves Limited (KWL) has set its sights on dominating Latin America and the Caribbean as the region’s largest vehicle trans-shipment hub, unveiling an audacious plan to triple annual capacity to 500,000 cars by 2030 — a vision bolstered by the arrival of the groundbreaking Hoegh Aurora, the world’s largest eco-friendly car carrier, at its newly expanded Berth 7.

The port operator, already handling over 170,000 vehicles annually, is leveraging a US$100-million infrastructure overhaul — plus a planned US$15-million multi-level car park and cutting-edge berth upgrades — to position itself as the linchpin of global auto logistics, capitalising on strategic shipping lanes connecting Asia, the Americas, and Oceania while promising transformative job growth for Jamaica’s economy.

Mark Williams, chief executive officer of Kingston Wharves Limited, outlined the vision in an interview with Jamaica Observer.

“So far we move just over 170,000 [vehicles annually]…and we believe, based on the investment that we’ve made and some strategic plans that we have, [that] it’s reasonable for Kingston Wharves to establish itself as one of the premier global auto logistics centre, and for that, our vision is that we can move half a million cars per year through Kingston,” Williams said.

He pointed out that the benefits will also redound to jobs being created in logistics, mechanics, and port operations.

“I’m just excited, you know, as I said, this is more than for Kingston Wharves, because when you have a vessel that has a capacity of 9,100 cars, you just think of a number of jobs for people to drive the cars, for people to supervise, for mechanics, etc, so the knock-on effect for a country like Jamaica is just tremendous and prominent opportunities.”


https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2025...transshipment/

[Jangle]

Holness signals reboot for Ja’s global services sector

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has called for a bold transformation and renewed ambition in Jamaica’s business process outsourcing (BPO) and global services sectors, saying it is crucial in preparing for the future.

Holness, who was speaking to a packed room of local and international stakeholders at Thursday’s opening of the 2025 Outsource2Jamaica Conference in Montego Bay, painted a compelling vision of a digital-first, skills-driven economy, declaring that “Jamaica is not just preparing for the future. We are delivering it right now.”



DREAM OF LOGISTICS HUB


A standout section of the speech focused on logistics as the next growth engine. Holness reiterated long-standing ambitions for Jamaica to become the logistics hub of the Americas, arguing that the country is finally turning vision into reality.

The Port of Kingston, now ranked among the world’s top 100 container ports, has undergone more than US$400 million in modernisation investments since 2016 under a 30-year concession agreement with Kingston Freeport Terminal Limited. This has included the installation of advanced geopositioning systems, new cranes, and infrastructure upgrades. Since then, cargo volumes have grown by over 50 per cent, and employment at the port has increased by 53 per cent. An additional US$50 million will be invested this year to expand capacity even further.

Holness also confirmed that the long-anticipated Caymanas Special Economic Zone (CSEZ) will break ground in the next fiscal quarter. The 700-acre site, located close to the port and major highways, will be outfitted with modern utilities and turnkey solutions for logistics and supply-chain operations. Detailed engineering plans have been completed, approvals are in place, and tenders have been finalised. The site will also be climate-resilient, with measures in place to reduce the risk of flooding.

The prime minister said Jamaica is also the only Caribbean country with no foreign exchange controls and a freely floating currency – an economic model that has proven resilient and investor-friendly.

Alongside economic stability, Holness emphasised that the Government is supporting the sector with deliberate policies, including infrastructure buildout, training aligned with industry needs, and a focus on cybersecurity, data protection, and ethical AI deployment.


https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/...ervices-sector

[Jangle]

Jamaica’s New $533M Deepwater Port Could Transform Global Trade

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ev64vnSzlzo

[Jangle]

Jamaica eyes new port in St Thomas to tap Guyana’s building boom

The Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) is exploring the development of a new export port in St Thomas, part of its push to make Jamaica the go-to supplier of construction materials across the Caribbean — particularly Guyana, where oil wealth has triggered an unprecedented wave of infrastructure projects.

Chairman of the PAJ Alok Jain, who made the disclosure at the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Jamaica (ICAJ) annual business conference recently, said that plans are being assessed to establish additional ports across the island, with St Thomas among the proposed locations.

So there are plans to open new ports and one of the locations that we are looking at is St Thomas. You have to put those ports near where the mines are, because you don’t want to mine in one place and have to transport around,” Jain said, responding to a question following his presentation, “Positioning Jamaica as the fourth node of global logistics.”

He stopped short of outlining a timeline for when the PAJ intends to capitalise on the opportunity.

“We have looked at establishing new ports around the country for the export, for instance, of aggregates. There is a huge demand in Guyana, with their oil reserves building out infrastructure at a pace that they haven’t since independence. They need aggregates, they need limestone, they need cement.


His statements give new momentum to an opportunity first identified by Prime Minister Andrew Holness in March 2023, when he urged local quarry operators to expand production to serve regional markets. Holness had pointed to the surge in Guyana’s demand for aggregates, saying Jamaica was “well-placed” to become a supplier of choice across the Caribbean. Around the same time, Prime Minister Holness also instructed the Port Authority to turn its attention to the issue.

The opportunity for the export of aggregates has only grown since.

Data from international trade tracker Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) show that Guyana imported US$47 million worth of gravel and crushed stone in 2023 — a more than 250 per cent jump from the previous year — as its oil-fuelled development boom outpaced domestic production. The country’s government has been forced to rely on both open tendering and single-source contracts to secure steady supply for roads, bridges, and housing projects.

Guyana has turned mainly to Suriname’s State-owned Grassalco to plug the gap, but has also invited suppliers from Jamaica and other Caribbean countries. Reports are that several Jamaican producers responded positively to the call last year, with early shipments already testing the route.

The Jamaica–Guyana route testing comes amid a changing global trade landscape, one that Jain believes is shifting in Jamaica’s favour as tariff upheavals redraw supply chains.

“Every time I see a headline about tariffs or global trade disruptions, I smile. For Jamaica, that’s actually a good thing. The global supply chain is moving closer to home, and we are right in the middle of it,” he said.

The proposed St Thomas port could serve as a dedicated bulk export facility, designed to move aggregates and other heavy materials more efficiently to regional buyers. Jain said its location is key: close to Jamaica’s eastern quarries and limestone deposits, cutting down on inland transport costs and congestion at Kingston Harbour.

Still, his confidence in Jamaica’s logistics prospects goes beyond the St Thomas proposal. He sees it as part of a renewed push to finally turn the long-touted vision of making the island a global trading hub into reality.

https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2025...building-boom/