THE CRUISE shipping industry will get a major boost this year, with a massive expansion of the island's two main ports.
Michael Belnavis, president of the Ocho Rios Cruise Shipping Council, said the upgrade of the Ocho Rios and Montego Bay ports is expected to ease the shortage, which has resulted in the island turning away cruise vessels because of inadequate space for berthing.
BUSINESS IS GROWING
According to Mr. Belnavis, "The crunch has come because Jamaica's cruise ship business is growing beyond the island's present capacity to cope, with the island continually turning away cruise vessels because of too few, and too small berths".
Mr. Belnavis also said that expansion of the ports will see the world's largest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line's ultra mega vessel, 'The Freedom Of The Sea', bringing more than 4,000 passengers, plus hundreds of crew members, to Montego Bay weekly, starting in June.
