State-Of-The-Art Tugboats Acquired For Port Of Kingston
By: , February 11, 2020The Key Point:
Photo: Rudranath Fraser
Wife of the Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Juliet Holness (second right), joins in a toast at the commissioning of two new state-of-the-art tugboats to serve the Port of Kingston, at the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) Coast Guard Headquarters in Kingston, recently. Others (from left) are Founder of Ocean, which operates towage services at the Port, Gordon Bain; President and Chief Executive Officer of the company, Jacques Tanguay; and Canada’s High Commissioner to Jamaica, Her Excellency Laurie Peters.
Photo: Rudranath Fraser
Wife of the Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Juliet Holness (centre), accepts a plaque from Founder of Ocean, Gordon Bain (left), at a recent function at the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) Coast Guard Headquarters in Kingston to commission two new state-of-the-art tugboats into service for the Port of Kingston. Looking on is President and Chief Executive Officer of the company, Jacques Tanguay.The Facts
- The vessels were acquired by Canada-based maritime company, Ocean, which operates towage services at the Port under a 10-year concession agreement signed with the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) in June 2018.
- Wife of the Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Juliet Holness, hailed the agreement between the Port Authority and Ocean to provide world-class service to shipping lines that have been serving Jamaica for years.
The Full Story
Two state-of-the-art tugboats, aimed at enhancing efficiency in operations at the Port of Kingston, were recently commissioned into service.
The vessels were acquired by Canada-based maritime company, Ocean, which operates towage services at the Port under a 10-year concession agreement signed with the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) in June 2018.
Wife of the Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Juliet Holness, hailed the agreement between the Port Authority and Ocean to provide world-class service to shipping lines that have been serving Jamaica for years.
She noted that the initiative has also resulted in the transfer of skills locally, as persons are being recruited and trained to operate the new-generation vessels acquired under the agreement.
Mrs. Holness was speaking at a function held at the Jamaica Defence Force (JDC) Coast Guard Headquarters in Port Royal to commission the vessels.
Meanwhile, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ocean, Jacques Tanguay, told the gathering that the new 24-metre tugs demonstrate his company’s confidence in the development of port activities in Kingston, and its commitment to constantly offer a high level of service.
He said that the vessels will meet the growing demand for harbour towing services.
Canada’s High Commissioner to Jamaica, Her Excellency Laurie Peters, for her part, said the agreement between the Port Authority and Ocean “will support one of Jamaica’s most strategic assets, and seventh natural harbor in the world, the Port of Kingston”.
In his address, Vice President for Marine Services and Harbour Master at the Port Authority, Captain Hopeton Delisser, said Ocean has “stood by the spirit and content of the agreement”, noting that since the company’s commencement of operations at the Port of Kingston, “we have not received a complaint in respect to the service being provided”.
Towage is the pulling of ships and other vessels along the water, usually by means of a small steamer called a tug.
Towing services allow for smooth harbour traffic and enable small to very large tonnage ships to safely dock and undock at wharfs.
The Ocean Group is a major Canadian company that is headquartered in Quebec, and has more than 900 employees.