Americas News
Jamaica Prepares for Bigger Vessels, Takes Next Steps Towards Goal of Being the Logistics Hub of the Caribbean
Jamaica's goal of becoming the "logistics hub of the Caribbean" took another step forward this week, with the announcement by Jan De Nul Group (Jan De Nul) that it will be involved in a project to expand the country's port of Kingston to accommodate larger vessels.
"In 25 months the access channel and the port basin will be deepened, and the berths on the existing quay walls will be reinforced and renovated. Hence, the port will be able to provide access to larger container vessels, which will find their way to the region more easily thanks to the expansion of the lock complex in the Panama Canal," said Jan De Nul, whose subsidiary Sodraco SAS is part of the consortium responsible for the expansion.
It is the fourth project in Jamaica for Jan De Nul, and Area Manager Dominique Bombaert said: "We are very pleased that once more we have gained the confidence to play an important role in the further development of this port."
Even before its opening, the prospect of the expanded Panama Canal was seen to be a potential boon for bunker players in Jamaica.
"With the widening of the Panama Canal, I think we'll see more and larger ships coming through, and I hope Jamaica can realise its potential as the logistics hub of the Caribbean," local physical bunker supplier West Indies Petroleum (WIP) told Ship & Bunker in 2013.
Following the opening of the Panama Canal expansion, earlier this year Dr Andrew Wheatley, Jamaica's Minister of Science, Energy, and Technology, said it is important for his country to capture its fair share of the bunker market.
In June, Monjasa identified Kingston as one of the ports it believes will have a good chance to increase sales as it would "become increasingly interesting" to operators for taking bunkers.
