The British Government is providing more help for Jamaica to support safe maritime trade and the development of a sustainable blue economy.

Through the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO), the British Government is undertaking a three-week capacity-building programme in the island.

As part of the UK’s Commonwealth Marine Economies (CME) Programme, the UKHO will be presenting equipment and training to help Jamaica collect data through seabed mapping surveys of its coastal waters.

This data will then be used to develop new nautical charts which will be key to supporting sustainable maritime trade in the area.

Information collected through these surveys will also be used to support disaster planning and resilience, coastal infrastructure development, and protection of natural resources.

“Multibeam sonar equipment and training provided by the Commonwealth Marine Economies Programme will help us to develop valuable skills and capacity which will be of benefit to Jamaica for many years to come,” said Rear Admiral Peter Brady, director general of the Maritime Authority of Jamaica.

“As well as being used to allow vessels safe access to our ports and harbours, the data will be utilised in other disciplines such as fisheries and coastal zone management, environmental planning, and maritime security, and will also assist in the development of policies that protect our marine environment

“The information gathered from surveys conducted in Jamaica’s waters will provide valuable support in the development of our blue economy, allowing us to manage the expansion of maritime trade and the sustainable use of our natural resource,” added Brady.

Almost all activities in the ocean, from shipping to monitoring delicate marine environments, depend on accurate seabed mapping data that illustrates the shape and movement of natural underwater features.

For coastal communities like Jamaica, the collection of this data is vital to supporting sustainable economic growth and protection from the effects of climate change.

In underscoring the importance of the work, British High Commissioner to Jamaica Asif Ahmad noted that the mapping of the seabed around Jamaica has a tradition going back centuries.

“Mariners have relied on vital data to navigate safely in and out of Jamaican harbours using charts derived from mapping exercises. The CME programme funded by the UK modernised the charts using the latest equipment last year.

“Now the equipment is being handed over to Jamaica so that there will be local expertise to carry out future mapping of the seabed,” said Asif at the official handover of the equipment at the JDF Coast Guard base in Port Royal on Thursday.