Continuity and confidence: SAJ re-elects Robertson-Sylvester at 2025 AGM

Corah Ann Robertson-Sylvester was unanimously re-elected as president of the Shipping Association of Jamaica (SAJ) during its 87th Annual General Meeting (AGM), held on November 20 at the association’s offices in Newport West. The CEO of Seaboard Freight and Shipping Jamaica Limited will continue to lead the organisation for another term, alongside Vice-President Andre Rochester, who was also unanimously returned.

“I am sincerely grateful for the confidence you continue to place in me,” Robertson-Sylvester told members. “I remain fully committed to championing the interests of this association and the wider Newport West community as we work together to strengthen our industry.”

The AGM also saw the election of Carlos Cabrera, the new CEO of Kingston Freeport Terminal Limited (KFTL), to the managing committee. “It is a big honour for me being elected to the board,” Cabrera said. “I have been in Jamaica for the last five years contributing from the KFTL side. We want to continue that collaboration with the SAJ to help with the development of the high potential that Jamaica has in being this global hub for the region.”

William Brown, chairman and CEO of Cascades Ventures Group, continues in his role as immediate past president. Other re-elected committee members for the 2025–2026 year include: Anna Hamilton, CEO, Jamaica Freight and Shipping Company; Denise Lyn Fatt, managing director, Freight Handlers Limited; Kim Clarke, managing director, Maritime and Transport Group of Companies; Roger Hinds, chairman, Transocean Shipping Company Limited; Neil Smith, CEO, Shipping Services Limited; and Richard Kinlocke, CEO, Gateway Shipping Group. Charles Johnston, executive chairman of Jamaica Fruit & Shipping Company; Grantley Stephenson, deputy chairman of Kingston Wharves Limited; and Condell Stephenson, port captain for Hoegh Autoliners, will continue to serve as honorary members, while SAJ General Manager Terrence Brooks serves as an ex-officio member of the committee.

In her address, Robertson-Sylvester spoke passionately about the industry’s unified response to Hurricane Melissa, which caused severe damage across Western Jamaica and devastated several communities connected to the maritime workforce.

“You mobilised staff, equipment, fleet capacity, warehouse space, and financial resources, often while supporting affected team members at home,” Robertson-Sylvester said. “Your actions demonstrate that the maritime and logistics sector is not only a key part of Jamaica’s economic engine, it is also a pillar of national resilience.”

She also commended the SAJ staff, many of whom pooled their personal resources to purchase and distribute relief supplies across Westmoreland, Trelawny, and St James. “They represent the heart of this Association,” she affirmed.

Turning to infrastructure, Robertson-Sylvester updated members on the Newport West Roadworks Programme, a central focus of her presidency and a critical component of port efficiency. She noted that information from the National Works Agency (NWA) indicates that the project is now 53 per cent complete, with significant work done across some of the most deteriorated corridors.

Though the work is now delayed as national resources were redirected after Hurricane Melissa, she shared that the NWA has committed to completing the project as soon as resources allow.

Robertson-Sylvester was commended by members for her leadership on the Newport West Community Project, with several acknowledging the visible progress made to date. She reaffirmed her dedication to completing the initiative, noting that “although the hurricane caused delays due to resources being diverted, I will continue to press the authorities to restart the repairs as soon as resources allow.”

In concluding her address, Robertson-Sylvester encouraged members to remain steadfast as the sector continues to navigate a dynamic global environment. She reaffirmed her confidence in the future of Jamaica’s maritime industry and the association’s ongoing role in championing operational excellence, infrastructure renewal, and community resilience.