The Port Authority of Jamaica, in keeping with the government's mandate, has begun a fifth phase of expansion of the Kingston Container Terminal, which, when completed, will see the terminal handling up to 3.2 million TEUs, a 100 per cent increase in capacity.

This was disclosed Friday during a ceremony to welcome the MV Olive Maersk. In addition to the welcome reception, the terminal was toured by Prime Minister P J Patterson, Transport and Works Minister Robert Pickersgill and prime minister-designate Portia Simpson Miller, who is also the local government minister and MP for the area in which the port is located.

"The port expansion means a tremendous improvement in the total volume of containers passing through the port," said Port Authority of Jamaica President and CEO Noel Hylton.

Patterson, in welcoming the MV Olivia Maersk and her crew, noted the port's strategic geographic position, and said that its growth and expansion resulted from hard work and a decision taken two years ago on the national industrial policy.

"When we put out the national industrial policy two years ago, we identified as one of the clusters of growth the maritime industry and the transportation sector," Patterson said.

"We did so partly because we have the advantage of strategic location. It is one of the things with which we are blessed, but on which we must capitalise," he added.

Patterson said that not only was there a location on which to build a port, but that the decision to do so was based on the capacity of Jamaicans to be productive to compete with world standards elsewhere.

Noting that the Kingston Port was ranked among the top 100 ports in the world, he said it was his greatest wish that after the current expansion, the port would be among the world's top 10 of choice.

Rosalie Donaldson, senior vice-president of international marketing at the Port Authority, described the partnership between Kingston Terminal and Maersk as significant.

"Our partnership with Maersk is a significant milestone in the development of the Kingston Container Terminal," she said.
Maersk line, the result of the acquisition of P and O Nedlloyd by the AP Moller - Maersk group, is one of the world's largest shipping companies. The company has more than 300 container vessels and one million containers offering comprehensive worldwide coverage.

"We are committed to maintaining our standing among the top ports in the world, and doing this requires constant investment and innovation," Donaldson said. "Now, more than ever, we are providing superior support for global trade."

After the ceremony, Simpson Miller told the Sunday Observer that she was pleased with the port's expansion as it would provide a wide range of jobs for skilled Jamaicans.
Several of the workmen on the project are from Simpson Miller's South St Andrew constituency.

She said that with 40 vessels expected to dock at the port each month, it was important that the expansion project continued. "I am sure they can get the additional space so that more vessels can keep coming in," said Simpson Miller.

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