FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TRANSPORT MINISTER COMMENDS KINGSTON WHARVES ON EXPANSION PROGRAMME

Transport Minister Mike Henry has expressed satisfaction with the multi-billion dollar redevelopment project at Kingston Wharves Limited (KWL), which has ensured greater storage and berthing space at the port. He made the comments today, during a tour of KWL’s operations.

Minister Henry has also pledged the government’s commitment in assisting with the further development of the maritime sector. “I congratulate you on your just ended expansion…I am encouraged by it and you have my commitment on future development,” said Minister Henry, while also giving the thumbs up for the successful security measures in place at Kingston Wharves.

He urged KWL to put scales in place so that the container-trailers leaving that location would be required to carry only the weight, which was not in breach of weight guidelines on the island’s roads and bridges. Grantley Stephenson, Chairman and CEO of KWL, assured the Transport Minister that a scale for that purpose would shortly be put in place.

Mr. Stephenson pointed out that the J$2.5 billion expansion project has resulted in 20 acres of additional space for the wharves and a 50 feet seawards-expansion of the port. The redevelopment has also included the establishment of 1,225 feet of modern berthing facilities. The KWL Chairman/CEO indicated that the expansion is “98 percent complete” and the finishing touches, which are being added, should come to an end within two weeks.

Commenting on another major step forward for KWL, Mr. Stephenson stated that under the Mega Port Initiative with the United Stated and Jamaica, additional machines are to be installed at the ports to test for radioactive substances. “This coupled with the Container Security Initiative will encourage exports, as overseas officials to monitor the system will be based here and this will reduce the bureaucracy of processing export cargo to the US,” said Mr. Stephenson.

KWL is the leading multi-purpose port in the Caribbean and the second largest independently managed sub-regional container port hub.

Also participating in today’s tour of Kingston Wharves Limited were: State Minister in the Ministry of Transport Joseph Hibbert, Chairman and Executive Director of the CMI, Captain Hopeton DeLisser and Fritz Pinnock respectively.  A feature of the tour was the viewing of the state-of-the-art robotic submarines and the KWL’s extensive Closed Circuit Television system, which have been used in anti-narcotics initiatives at the port.

At the end of the tour, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Kingston Wharves Limited, its subsidiary Security Administrators Limited (SAL) and the Caribbean Maritime Institute (CMI), which will see the establishment of a Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Security Management. This partnership will create new training and employment opportunities for thousands of Jamaicans. The Transport Minister has endorsed the initiative.

The Chairman & CEO of KWL, said the 3-year Industrial Security Management degree programme will offer advanced and comprehensive training in land, sea and air security measures. He outlines that the programme will allow industrial professionals entry into the programme through competency assessment measures. 

Explaining that the course which is the first of its kind in the region, Captain John Ulett, Managing Director of SAL, said his organization and the CMI will have joint responsibility for developing the curriculum, teaching participants in the programme, ensuring quality standards are maintained as well as carrying out assessments and evaluations.

The Bachelor of Science in Security Management is one of two cutting edge courses, which will be initiated by the MOU. The second course being offered is the advanced Port Facility Security Officer (PFSO) Training Programme. According to Captain Ulett, this partnership between KWL and CMI, will give security professionals a chance to upgrade themselves and to “add greater value to their port environment, as well as to transform security from the perspective of a cost-centre to a value-added service”

SAL is the leading provider of maritime security and related services in Jamaica and the premier accredited security organization of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), offering training for port security officers.

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