MINISTER OF Transport and Works, Robert Pickersgill, has restated the commitment of the Government of Jamaica to the development of Jamaica as a shipping centre.
The minister was speaking at a dinner he hosted recently in honour of overseas representatives of the Jamaica Ship Registry (JSR). The representatives, who are accorded the title of deputy registrars, were in Kingston to attend the JSR strategic planning retreat to discuss developments in international shipping, particularly the impact on the promotion of the JSR in the various markets in which they operate, and to devise strategies for better penetration of the flag state market by the JSR.
The deputy registrars, who are from England, Monaco, Germany, the Netherlands, Malta and Greece, were also given insight into the maritime development of Jamaica through presentations by the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) on the trans-shipment port and marinas.
"We know that most of you are aware of Kingston as an important trans-shipment hub for the region, but were are also interested in promoting the country as an overall shipping centre," the minister said.
Minister Pickersgill pointed to the establishment of the Maritime Authority of Jamaica (MAJ), the improvement of port facilities and seafarer training as developments within the shipping sector to support the vision of Jamaica as a shipping centre. He noted that the establishment of the JSR was another important element in that respect.
STRATEGIC MOVE
A ship's registry is the place where a ship is recorded in the public records of a country in order to give the ship a national character (flag). The administration of the JSR is ascribed to the MAJ by the Shipping Act 1998 and was relaunched in October 2000 with the necessary legislation and incentives to appeal to an international clientele. The appointment of overseas representatives was a strategic move to have representation for the JSR in the major shipping centres of the world.
The welcome dinner, sponsored by the Kingston Wharves Limited, presented an opportunity for the registrars to meet and interact with key players in the local shipping industry. Others sponsors of the retreat were the Ministry of Industry and Tourism, Jamaica Freight and Shipping Company, the Shipping Association of Jamaica, Aeronautical Telecommunications Limited and Lannaman and Morris (Shipping) Limited.
