Gleaner 'Man of the Year 2003' Noel Hylton (left), the president and chief executive officer of the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ), peruses a booklet with the Rotary Club of Kingston's president Leo Nesbeth before the start of the club's weekly luncheon at the Pegasus Hotel, New Kingston, yesterday. Mr. Hylton, the guest speaker, announced that the PAJ was in negotiations with another major cruise line to bring an additional 2.5 million cruise passengers to the island. -Norman Grindley photo
THE PORT Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) has announced that it is finalising negotiations with another major cruise line company which will guarantee more visitors to Jamaica.
"We are about to sign another contract that will guarantee us about 2.5 million passengers over a five year period," Noel Hylton, PAJ president and chief executive officer, told a luncheon meeting of the Rotary Club of Kingston at which he was guest speaker.
He declined to comment further on the contract but told The Gleaner later that the negotiations should be completed by next month.
"The (cruise) lines are obligated to produce these passengers or to pay for them. So from a selfish point of view, whether these passengers arrive on our shores or not, the Port Authority will be paid, but from a national point of view we would prefer that these passengers arrive," he said.
Mr. Hylton, who also highlighted the PAJ's efforts to improve not only the transhipment ports, but also the island's cruise shipping facilities, said the port authority's work has given stability to the cruise business in Jamaica and provided an atmosphere of certainty for private sector businesses which provide services for the industry.
In February, a similar contract was signed with Carnival Cruise Lines, one of the largest cruise shipping companies in the world. Under the contract, Carnival is obligated to provide 2.5 million or more cruise passengers over five years.
In the meantime, the PAJ boss said significant efforts are being made to have the island's transhipment ports certified with the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code by the International Maritime Organi-sation, by July 1.
NEW CODE
The new code which was adopted at a Diplomatic Conference in December 2002, is designed to enhance maritime security in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.
The ISPS Code requires all international ports to be certified based on audits of specified security standards.
Mr. Hylton explained that some 95 per cent of Jamaica's foreign trade is transported by sea, the majority of which ends up at US ports.
"We could not therefore risk, because of negligence on our part, any interruption to the trade flows," he said. He said work in this regard is expected to be completed by June in time for the July 1 deadline.
So far, Mr. Hylton said the PAJ has spent approximately US$80 million on upgrading security at the ports.
