It was Henry Ford who said: “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.”

The final four of those wise words aptly describe the achievements and legacy of this honoree who led the Shipping Association of Jamaica (SAJ) as its chairman for two terms — 1974 and 1975. His life in shipping made him acutely aware of how this industry depends on the ability of diverse groups and personalities to work together for successful outcomes.

He was still a teenager in 1949 when he started working in the shipping industry as a junior clerk with Standard Fruit & Steamship Company at 14 Port Royal Street. The SAJ had come into being only 10 years earlier, and this young Calabar graduate had a front-row seat to the exciting developments in his country’s shipping industry.

His involvement in shipping deepened as he took greater responsibilities with Sproston’s as a boarding agent. Though still a young man in 1955, he was tasked with boarding ships as soon as they docked to ensure that the vessels met all requirements under the Customs, Immigration and other regulations.

He remembers that: “In that period, the port workers and I worked 24 hours a day. When we couldn’t go on, we’d take a quick nap right there on the deck, wake up, and continue.”

Long before he was elected to the Managing Committee of the SAJ, he learnt to appreciate the role of leaders in helping to uplift others. He recalls how George Smith (a Scotsman), the manager of Sproston’s, arranged for him to attend the University of Wales where he did a course in Ship Management and Vessel Operations.

He learnt from early that if you treat people with respect, you could motivate them and build an effective team. He developed close relationships with the port workers and his ability to empathise with others served the SAJ well when he started representing Western Terminals at SAJ meetings in 1965. At that time, he was operations manager of Western Terminals and, in 1966, was a proud member of the welcoming party for the first ship to dock at the new Port of Kingston.

He assisted in the efforts of the SAJ to keep its membership united in the 1960s, and when he took on the mantle of leadership in 1975, the major task was getting all in the industry to work together in the face of new challenges.

In those years, there was great concern that the Government was encroaching on the private sector, and so there were many meetings with the minister of public utilities until it was agreed to second the SAJ manager, Noel Hylton, as manager of the Port of Kingston. This decision ushered in a bright and positive new chapter of public and private sector partnership in the history of Jamaica’s shipping industry.

Also, bargaining with the trade unions had reached a crucial stage because the downturn in the economy resulted in less maritime trade and therefore less work at the Port of Kingston. Thanks in great part to the immense goodwill and respect that this chairman enjoyed in his relationships with port workers, the situation did not result in industrial action.

Another major challenge was the security concerns which began to extend beyond the problem of larceny and smuggling of uncustomed goods. Jamaica was becoming a major source of the marijuana trade to the USA and fears were expressed that, with the growth of trans-shipment, cocaine might also be forwarded from Colombia.

In light of this, the SAJ decided to operate its own system, hiring a former assistant commissioner of police to head the new entity. This initiative signalled to Jamaica and the world the strong position of the SAJ against the illegal trade in drugs.

For his tremendous contribution to the shipping industry of Jamaica by championing the role of the private sector and port workers, and for leading our brave stand against illegal activities at the Port of Kingston, the Shipping Association of Jamaica, in celebration of our 75th anniversary, honoured Robert Bell.