Two New Cranes Commissioned into Service at Kingston Freeport Terminal Limited

Jamaica has taken another significant step towards fulfilling its aspiration of becoming a major logistics hub with the deployment of two new ship‑to‑shore (STS) cranes at Kingston Freeport Terminal Limited (KFTL).

The equipment, which arrived in October, was officially commissioned into service by Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, during a ceremony at the terminal on Wednesday (December 3).

The deployment followed a rigorous certification process to guarantee peak performance, safety, and operational optimisation.

In his address, Dr. Holness commended KFTL for investing in the new cranes, emphasising that “every dollar of investment brings Jamaica closer to the realisation of this aspiration to be considered one of the major [global] logistics hubs”.

He noted that with the volume of cargo shipments increasing annually, and many vessels unable to travel directly from point of origin to point of distribution, Jamaica is strategically positioned to benefit.

“[Those ships] have to stop somewhere. They have to stop to be refuelled, they have to stop for water, and they may have to stop to split their cargo, which presents a need for trans-shipment,” Dr. Holness explained.

He emphasised that Jamaica is strategically located in proximity to and aligned with most of the established shipping channels in the region.

“Therefore, it gives us an economic advantage, and it gives the shipping industry an advantage as well, to utilise our geography, to take goods coming from all over the world, break them, and send them off to their final destination,” the Prime Minister stated.

He further highlighted the opportunity for Jamaica to expand into near‑shore operations, noting that this includes “moving goods produced in Jamaica, assembled in Jamaica, onto ships to elsewhere, or our exports to elsewhere”.

“Now if we get very good at this, then people shipping goods will look at Jamaica and say, ‘you know, there is great efficiency. I can save a few dollars off every container ship if I stop in Jamaica, move them, and place them on another ship, because the time to do this has been reduced’,” Dr. Holness pointed out.

He emphasised that every dollar invested at KFTL is intended to enhance the efficiency of Jamaica’s port as a processing hub for containerised goods.

Dr. Holness stated that the new cranes will reduce the offloading and reloading time for vessels, thereby improving the overall capacity of the terminal.

He added that, despite the impacts of Hurricane Melissa – one of the strongest tropical cyclones on record – Jamaica’s logistics sector remains strong, bolstered by recent investments in storage capacity at KFTL through the Westlands Port Expansion Project.

Dr. Holness emphasised that the Government remains firmly committed to facilitating Jamaica’s push to become a logistics hub.

He reiterated plans to undertake a major investment to reorganise and redevelop the area surrounding the port, thereby creating the necessary space and infrastructure to support its expansion.

“We will use the opportunity that [Hurricane] Melissa has brought us, to expand and finance the expansion of our port… but in a resilient way to ensure that, should the climate not favour us and, God forbid, there is any weather event that impacts Kingston or this corridor, we are able to withstand and recover quickly,” he affirmed.

The Prime Minister encouraged KFTL to continue investing in the terminal to further boost its capacity, while pledging the Government’s support “in terms of financial partnership and in terms of the support for the continuation of this partnership in expanding our port”.

In his remarks, KFTL’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Carlos Cabrera, noted that the new cranes are equipped with advanced technology to prevent collision incidents between cranes and ships, dedicated lashing platforms to keep employees outside of danger zones, and pedestrian detection systems.

He emphasised that the entity’s sustained investment in the port has strengthened Jamaica’s competitiveness, enhanced operational resilience, and positioned the terminal to pursue its ambition of becoming the premier hub in the region.

The CEO noted that KFTL made a commitment in 2016 to invest more than US$600 million during the first 10 years of its concession and is now delivering on that promise.

“The results are clear. Since 2021, our volumes have grown over 55 per cent. This year, we are on pace to break last year’s record, and we will be approaching 2.5 million TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units). Our capabilities today allow us to deliver this productivity, faster vessel turnaround time, and improve our service to all of our customers,” Mr. Cabrera declared.