Celebrating 65 Years of the Port of Bridgetown

For 65 years, the Port of Bridgetown has been at the centre of everyday life in Barbados. It’s where food, medicine, building materials, and goods arrive to keep businesses stocked and the economy moving. It’s where cruise ships dock and thousands of visitors step onto our shores. And it’s where thousands of Barbadians have built careers that support homes and communities across the island.

Chief Executive Officer of Barbados Port Inc. David Jean-Marie is proud of the milestone. He notes that over the past 65 years, the Port has delivered millions of tonnes of cargo, serviced thousands of customers, welcomed millions of visitors, and built an enviable network of connections in cargo and cruise.

“The Port of Bridgetown was founded on a commitment to serve its people, a pledge reinforced in multiple industry honours through the years. The numerous accolades earned include 13 Caribbean top port awards highlighting our outstanding performance in dependability and flexibility, port efficiency and productivity, growth and development, security, environmental preservation, occupational health and safety.”

This week, the Sunday Sun marks that milestone with a 32-page special feature on BPI. The pages take you inside the Port’s journey, from the early days when lightermen rowed small boats through the Careenage and Carlisle Bay to unload cargo by hand, to today’s modern operations with gantry cranes, container yards, and new technology guiding every move.

We also look forward. You’ll see how the new multi-million dollar Berth 6 expansion, the biggest project in the Port’s modern history, is helping cargo move faster and easing pressure during cruise season. You’ll learn how the Port functions and you’ll read about its work in the community.

Pick up this week’s Sunday Sun to see how BPI’s journey continues.