KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — Transport and Mining Minister Mike Henry says Jamaica’s re-election to the influential Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) will facilitate the country’s expansion into the shipping industry.

“I feel reinvigorated because it’s important for us to be on the top list of countries in the maritime industry,” he told JIS news.

Henry pointed out that the expansion of the Panama Canal has made the movement of larger ships into Jamaican waters possible, noting that this was an important step towards the country becoming a logistics centre.

He said the re-lection was timely, as the Government was serious about developing Jamaica’s maritime industry to facilitate critically important investment milestones, which the country, through the Maritime Authority of Jamaica intends to achieve.

Jamaica secured a place on the Council, following its successful election at the 30th Session of the IMO’s General Assembly held at its headquarters in London on December 1.

Jamaica received 120 of the 159 valid votes cast in the highly competitive elections to join 19 other member states that were elected to Category ‘C’ of the council for the 2018-2020 biennium. The council is the executive arm of the IMO and is responsible, under the Assembly, for supervising the work of the organisation. Category ‘C’ comprises 20 States that have special interest in maritime transport or navigation, and whose election to the Council will ensure the representation of all major geographic regions of the world.

Jamaica’s membership in Category ‘C’ enhances the country’s capacity and that of the region to contribute to major policy decisions, rule-making and the development of standards.