Barbados Port Inc. (BPI) is doing everything humanly possible to ensure cargo deliveries in good time, amidst a significant increase in volumes transiting the Port of Bridgetown.
BPI’s Chief Executive Officer, David Jean-Marie, explained that the Port has been extending operating hours from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and opening on weekends, to facilitate the delivery of both personal and commercial cargo. The extended opening hours will continue today, December 21, through December 22 to 23, 2023.
He said: “With the significant increase in volumes at this time of year, there is additional pressure on the resources of the Port. We are, however, firmly committed to taking the appropriate steps to minimise equipment downtime while ensuring that the rate of direct deliveries can be maintained; that the working of vessels can be efficiently achieved; that the 100 per cent cargo scanning policy is enforced and that the sheds have sufficient resources to deliver cargo to customers.
As at the time of preparing this report, 2:00 p.m., there are no trucks in Ports and there has been no backup at any time today”.
Speaking on cargo handling equipment availability, the CEO said: “While previously there was an issue with one crane, that was resolved and all three cranes have since been available over the last several weeks.”
Intermittent issues experienced yesterday with one scanner being offline, he added, did not in any way affect deliveries, which continued through to 11:00 p.m. last night.
The CEO reiterated that the Port of Bridgetown, like other Ports in the region, has been impacted by ongoing challenges in the Panama and Suez canals, which filter through the logistics chain, triggering some disruption in the vessel arrival schedule.
Addressing concerns about cargo vessels having to wait outside the Port during the cruise season, Mr. Jean-Marie stated: “The current national policy giving priority to cruise vessels remains unchanged and cargo lines are aware that they have to plan around this mandate.
“Except for a single occasion where one vessel did not make its scheduled call as a result of ineffective communication among the parties, there have been no challenges with vessels calling at Bridgetown. The Port continues to serve both cargo and cruise vessels through the winter cruise season from which the country derives significant economic benefits.”