Barbados Port Inc. Addresses Delays and Congestion with Urgent Measures amid Surge in Vessel Traffic | Barbados TODAY

Barbados Port Inc. is implementing urgent measures to address delays and congestion at the Bridgetown Port as vessel traffic surges during the peak cruise and cargo season, the port’s state-owned operator said Monday.

The port is introducing priority berthing policies and accelerating infrastructure upgrades to manage the growing demands on the island’s main maritime gateway.

CEO of Barbados Port Inc., David Jean-Marie, told Barbados TODAY that discussions with the shipping association are planned to tackle the problem.

“We will be meeting to discuss priority berthing policies to minimise delays,” he said.

“We also have daily briefing meetings with the shipping agents to discuss plans for the following day and to minimise disruptions.”

The congestion has been driven by overlapping demands from the cruise industry and increased cargo activity, which also takes into consideration imports for ongoing national projects.

“This is our busiest time of year. Ships are coming with ship’s stores, containers, and container ship stores for the cruise vessels.” Jean-Marie shared.

“There is also more cargo coming in for the projects that are ongoing in Barbados. So there is a significant number of containers in the port, which we are trying to deliver as timely a manner as we can, but because they’re stacked quite high, it’s taking a bit longer for truckers to get containers out of the port,” he said, also giving the assurance that, “This problem will go away in time.”

To further prepare for increasing volumes, the port is advancing several key infrastructure projects, including the completion of Berth 6.

Jean-Marie said: “In the short term, we will be completing Berth 6, which is a 315-metre berth with a 12-metre draft. It will be fitted with two Panamax ship-to-shore gantry cranes. So that will be available.”

The port is also planning a dedicated aggregate berth to ease congestion at the bulk facility.

According to Jean-Marie: “We need to be able to have more facilities. Right now, we’re importing lots of important sand and boulders, for example, for the fishing harbour, as well as cement and other bulk cargo.”

Another significant project nearing completion is the shallow draft facility, designed to cater to yachts and pleasure craft, noting that the project is “99.9 per cent complete”.

He said: “We have new berths for yachts and pleasure craft over there. We have facilities for the fishing folk at the Sand Pit and the newest rooms and well-groomed areas over there.”

In addition to these expansion projects, the port chief executive gave an update on several ongoing initiatives being implemented by the Bridgetown Port over the past year to enhance efficiency and safety.

He highlighted the refurbishment of the signal station, which was completed in early 2024, which, according to him, “was put there to give us visibility of all vessels coming in”.