KINGSTON TRANSSHIPMENT Terminal has won the Caribbean Shipping Association (CSA) Award for the best transhipment terminal in the region, dominating a field of four contenders including Manzanillo International Terminal (MIT) in Panama and the Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (PATT).
The award for the best Multi-purpose facility in the region went to Point Lisas Industrial Port Development Corporation (PLIPDECO), which has won the Caribbean Port of the Year Award for the past two years. Competitors for the multi-purpose award were Dominica Port Authority, Grenada Port Authority, and St. Lucia Marine Terminal Vieus Port. Barbados Port Authority Bridgetown, the Port of Miami US and the Port of Cartagena. The awards were presented on Tuesday (Oct. 14), at a Gala Banquet of the CSA during its Annual General Meeting, Conference and Exhibition at the Half Moon Hotel in Montego Bay, St. James.
In his report, Chairman of the Ports Awards Committee, Johan Bjorksten, said the Committee was pleased with the quality of the ports/facilities that entered the competition. He also cited the significance of the endorsements from the various shipping lines, which was an important consideration in the adjudication process. He mentioned that two ports were disqualified because they were not endorsed by the shipping lines.
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Ports are assessed based on their dependability, efficiency, growth and development, among other considerations. This is the first time that the CSA is recognising the best Caribbean Seaports in two categories. Previously, there was only one category under which all ports could compete. However, the Port Award Committee reviewed the judging system and changed the format, introducing two categories - one for container terminals and the other multipurpose ports.
The Kingston Transhipment Terminal is owned by the Port Authority of Jamaica and managed by APM Terminals (Jamaica) Limited. It boasts the most modern equipment including 10 rail mounted 40 tonne ship to shore gantry cranes; four super post panamax cranes, fifty Kalmar straddle carriers; two 2,100kW and one 3,000kW tugs, state-of-the-art computer network for vessel and yard planning, container tracking, spare parts inventory and preventative maintenance and a 454,250 litre (120,000 gallon) automated fuel storage facility.
The fourth phase of expansion work at the transhipment terminal is now under way, which should see the North Terminal being improved and new equipment being added including four super post panamax gantry cranes, 445 metre reconstruction of berths with a westward expansion of 90 metres, 12 straddle carriers. The transshipment terminal moved nearly one million Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUS) last year.
In commenting on the award, PAJ's Vice President of International Marketing, Rosie Donaldson said the Port was pleased with the accomplishment, which was endorsed by the shipping lines using the port.
