The Port of Bridgetown copped the highly coveted Multi-Purpose Port of the Year Award 2018, emerging the big winner from among 12 competing Ports across the Caribbean and Latin America.
The announcement was made during the banquet and awards closing ceremony of the just concluded 2018 Caribbean Shipping Association (CSA) 48th annual general meeting and conference, held in Panama City, October 8-10, 2018.
Chief Executive Officer of Barbados Port Inc. (BPI), Mr. David Jean-Marie said, “The award is a fitting testimony to the progress we have made in 2017 in enhancing our performance and productivity, the expansion of our transshipment business and the implementation of energy efficiency initiatives”.
Mr. Jean-Marie added that the Barbados Workers’ Union’s support in pushing for the certification of port workers and the maintenance of industrial peace, were also major contributing factors to the enhanced performance.
Noting, “We certainly couldn’t have done it without the workers and management team”, the CEO said, “This award will better position us relative to our competitors in the development of transshipment and cruise business”.
Winning in the Multi-Purpose Port category confirms outstanding performance in dependability and flexibility, port efficiency and productivity, port growth and development, security, health, environment and safety. Barbados’ biggest competitors this year were Kingston Wharves Limited, Jamaica; Port of Paramaribo, Suriname; Fort-de-France, Martinique and Grand Port Maritime de la Guadeloupe, Guadeloupe.
Each year, the CSA’s Port Awards Committee compares the performance of participating ports to determine who stands above the rest. The CSA assesses the improvement, performance and security of the ports and terminals and as such, any port in the Caribbean stands a chance of winning either the top prize, or any of the sectional prizes, once its management systems are up to standard and its corporate functionality is progressive. At the end of the process, the CSA announces those ports and terminals that have achieved high standards of operational performance.
The CSA’s Port Awards Competition aims to promote the development and increased efficiency of port operations. It has served as a driving force for regional ports and terminal operators, encouraging and stimulating the development of best practices through the recognition of the outstanding performance of ports in key areas.
