The Maritime Authority of Jamaica (MAJ) has approved the use of electronic flares by vessels operating in Jamaican waters. Flares are used at sea by mariners to signal distress and to guide rescuers to their location. Speaking in an interview with JIS NEWS, Director of Safety, Environment and Certification at the MAJ, Captain Steven Spence, said that the move is...

Jamaica and the United States of America have revised their Open Skies Air Transport Agreement to further strengthen the aviation partnership between the two countries and deepen commercial and economic ties. Under an amendment signed on Thursday (May 10), the Governments have agreed to allow all cargo airlines from their respective countries to continue to third country destinations without having...

Minister of Transport and Mining, Hon. Robert Montague, says the Ministry is working closely with the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU), to ensure that Jamaicans can be trained in black-box analysis and traffic crash investigation by June 2018. This, he said, will give stakeholders, such as insurance companies, private- and public-sector investigators and vehicle fleet managers a better understanding of the...

Government Senator, Kavan Gayle, has called for an aggressive public education campaign aimed at changing the unruly behavior of many motorists, particularly taxi operators. “Many drivers have completely ignored the warnings to not overload vehicles, don’t drive when tired, don’t drink and drive, to desist from speeding, to always wear seat belts and helmets (and so on). There has to...

Jamaica is among 10 countries that have been selected to participate in the Global Maritime Energy Efficiency Partnerships (GloMEEP) Project, which aims to support the implementation of energy-efficiency measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipping. The others are Argentina, China, Georgia, India, Malaysia, Morocco, Panama, Philippines and South Africa. They will serve as lead pilot countries for implementing legal,...

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MBJ Airports Limited, Dr. Rafael Echevarne, says the Sangster International Airport (SIA) continues to play an important role in the growth of Jamaica’s economy. He said that for the 15 years of the MBJ concession, the facility has injected US$160 million into the Jamaican economy through tax and concession fees. Additionally, the airport continues to...

Young persons are being encouraged to pursue studies that will enable them to take advantage of the myriad career options in the geosciences. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Mining, Dr. Alwin Hales, said career prospects are strong in this field, which has the potential for further growth and innovation. “There are many careers involved in the mining...