Kingston Wharves thanks stakeholders for 80 years of partnership and growth

KINGSTON WHARVES Chairman Jeffrey Hall has expressed gratitude to the company’s staff, customers, managers, directors and other stakeholders for helping the company to innovate and grow over its 80 years history.

Hall acknowledged the contributions of partners, stating: “Shipping is not a solo voyage.” He credited a wide ecosystem of players, regulators, shipping lines and agents, freight forwarders, hauliers, customs brokers, bankers, and others for KWL’s success.

Reflecting on KWL’s founding, Hall noted that Luis Fred Kennedy, Charles Edwards Johnston, and Captain Sibrant List chose partnership over self-interest, laying the foundation for a company with lasting local and international impact. “That same spirit of partnership and leadership that inspired our founders continues to define us today,” he added.

He was speaking at a Kingston Wharves Limited (KWL) hosted 80th Anniversary Awards Banquet at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel last Thursday. The port and logistics company presented awards to foundation leaders, regulators, shipping partners, and 17 team members who have dedicated over 30 years of service to the company.

Two stalwarts of the shipping industry, Charles Johnston and Grantley Stephenson, received Solid Foundation Awards. Johnston, KWL’s longest serving director, was honoured for 41 years of service, while Stephenson was recognised for his 15-year tenure as KWL’s CEO, during which he oversaw significant infrastructure and digital transformation.

Regulators and industry partners, including the Port Authority of Jamaica, the Jamaica Customs Agency, and the Shipping Association of Jamaica, were presented with Solid Alliance Awards.

Among KWL’s shipping partners, Seaboard Marine and Höegh Autoliners received Lifetime Partner Awards as the company’s leading container and pure car carrier partners, respectively. Arc Manufacturing was honoured as KWL’s leading breakbulk stakeholder, and Dennis Shipping was recognised as its top freight forwarding partner.

Professor Gordon Shirley, president and CEO of the Port Authority of Jamaica, congratulated KWL on its milestone, noting: “Kingston Wharves’ 80 years of sustained growth as a public wharf is a testament to its commitment to nation-building and the vision of its founding fathers.” He also praised the leadership of Chairman Hall and CEO Mark Williams, highlighting the efficient delivery of key projects from KWL’s US$60 million infrastructure investment.

In his remarks, Williams reaffirmed KWL’s commitment to its partners, customers, and stakeholders: “This 80th year also marks a renewed customer focus and a drive toward even greater efficiency and shared success.” Addressing customers, he said, “thank you for believing in us, working with us, and growing with us. You are the reason we have come this far and the reason we will go even farther.”

Williams also congratulated the honourees: “Thank you for your loyalty and commitment. You have weathered the storms, embraced the changes, and stood as pillars of consistency. To every stevedore, vessel planner, warehouse operator, IT specialist, accountant, marketer, crane operator, mechanic, office worker, driver, and manager, you are Kingston Wharves. This is your legacy too. We are more than just colleagues; we are a family.”

Guest speaker Justice Norman Hemmings III, administrative law judge for Miami’s Office for Hearing Operations, likened Kingston Wharves to a mighty oak tree, “a survivor and a symbol of strength and resilience”. He reflected on Jamaica’s progress since 1945 and applauded KWL for its charitable contributions.

Kingston Wharves Limited, established in 1945, is the Caribbean region’s leading multi-purpose terminal. The award-winning port is one of two public terminals at the Port of Kingston, handling bulk, breakbulk, and containerised cargo. KWL maintains connections to more than 45 destinations across the Caribbean, North America, and Latin America.