Barbados Port Inc. is implementing urgent measures to address delays and congestion at the Bridgetown Port as vessel traffic surges during the peak cruise and cargo season, the port’s state-owned operator said Monday.
The port is introducing priority berthing policies and accelerating infrastructure upgrades to manage the growing demands on the island’s main maritime gateway.
CEO of Barbados Port Inc., David Jean-Marie, told Barbados TODAY that discussions with the shipping association are planned to tackle the problem.
“We will be meeting to discuss priority berthing policies to minimise delays,” he said.
“We also have daily briefing meetings with the shipping agents to discuss plans for the following day and to minimise disruptions.”
The congestion has been driven by overlapping demands from the cruise industry and increased cargo activity, which also takes into consideration imports for ongoing national projects.
“This is our busiest time of year. Ships are coming with ship’s stores, containers, and container ship stores for the cruise vessels.” Jean-Marie shared.
“There is also more cargo coming in for the projects that are ongoing in Barbados. So there is a significant number of containers in the port, which we are trying to deliver as timely a manner as we can, but because they’re stacked quite high, it’s taking a bit longer for truckers to get containers out of the port,” he said, also giving the assurance that, “This problem will go away in time.”
To further prepare for increasing volumes, the port is advancing several key infrastructure projects, including the completion of Berth 6.
Jean-Marie said: “In the short term, we will be completing Berth 6, which is a 315-metre berth with a 12-metre draft. It will be fitted with two Panamax ship-to-shore gantry cranes. So that will be available.”
The port is also planning a dedicated aggregate berth to ease congestion at the bulk facility.
According to Jean-Marie: “We need to be able to have more facilities. Right now, we’re importing lots of important sand and boulders, for example, for the fishing harbour, as well as cement and other bulk cargo.”
Another significant project nearing completion is the shallow draft facility, designed to cater to yachts and pleasure craft, noting that the project is “99.9 per cent complete”.
He said: “We have new berths for yachts and pleasure craft over there. We have facilities for the fishing folk at the Sand Pit and the newest rooms and well-groomed areas over there.”
In addition to these expansion projects, the port chief executive gave an update on several ongoing initiatives being implemented by the Bridgetown Port over the past year to enhance efficiency and safety.
He highlighted the refurbishment of the signal station, which was completed in early 2024, which, according to him, “was put there to give us visibility of all vessels coming in”.
The port has also renovated its mooring huts to provide better facilities for its 24-hour staff and to further support other members, key areas of the port have been resurfaced to improve working conditions.
“We’ve also resurfaced the quay as part of our cruise improvements and also for our employees so that when they drive the fork trucks and so on, they do so in comfort and not having problems with injuries because of the uneven surfaces,” Jean-Marie said.
Additionally, the home port terminal has been upgraded to cater to luxury cruise vessels, including a newly designed facility for high-end passengers.
“As you can see, more and more of the smaller luxury cruise vessels are coming to our shores so we need to ensure they have facilities that are fit for purpose,” he noted.
Noting the Bridgetown Port’s role as a multi-purpose facility presents unique challenges during peak seasons, Jean-Marie reiterated that the port is at its berthing capacity.
“We are full, given the success of the marketing campaign with the Minister of Tourism and others. We’re having a lot more vessels visiting, and the port is full as it is today,” he said.
“We are a multi-purpose port having to accommodate all forms of cargo vessels, container vessels, bulk cruise liners, and still the bulk vessels carrying cars or vehicles, lumber, cement and so on.”
Despite these challenges, Jean-Marie expressed confidence in the port’s ability to adapt and meet the needs of its diverse clientele: “There’s that balancing act that we have to follow through with.
“We have to ensure that we service all of our customers to the best of our abilities given the facilities that we have.” (SM)
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