JAMAICA is handling large volumes of cargo through its ports, but with nearly 90 per cent of activity tied to trans-shipment, that performance remains heavily dependent on global shipping routes beyond its control.

The country’s ports handled roughly 3.03 million twenty-foot-equivalent units (TEUs) in 2025, down from about 3.17 million a year earlier. Trans-shipment accounted for about 88 per cent of that total, according to a Caribbean Information and Credit Rating Services Limited (CariCRIS) report on the Port Authority of Jamaica.

That mix reflects Jamaica’s position as a regional hub for cargo moving between major trade lanes, but also exposes the sector to shifts in global shipping patterns and external economic conditions.

At the Kingston Container Terminal (KCT), where trans-shipment activity is concentrated, the scale of operations is significantly larger. More than 8.4 million container movements were recorded during the year as containers were offloaded, sorted, and reloaded for onward shipment.

CariCRIS noted that this activity remains heavily weighted toward trans-shipment, which accounted for 88.4 per cent of total cargo movements, reinforcing Jamaica’s role as a regional logistics hub.

Throughput declined during the year not because of local constraints, but due to adjustments in global shipping patterns, including changes in port rotations and vessel scheduling.

Because most of the cargo is tied to trans-shipment, those decisions carry significant weight. Volumes are largely shaped by where shipping lines choose to send vessels — based on demand, fuel costs, geopolitics and competition among ports.

This means Jamaica’s port performance is driven less by local strategy and more by external decisions, leaving growth vulnerable to shifts in global trade flows and shipping routes.

The system also faced a direct shock during the year. Hurricane Melissa caused an estimated $1.9 billion in damage and disrupted operations across several facilities, although disruptions were relatively contained due to disaster preparedness and recovery protocols.

This combination of external exposure and climate-related shocks highlights the structural vulnerability of the sector, where both global and local disruptions can affect performance.

Outside cargo, performance was weaker. Cruise calls declined by about 4.8 per cent while passenger arrivals fell roughly 12.6 per cent to just over 1.1 million, reflecting stronger regional competition and lingering disruptions.

Even with those pressures, cargo continues to underpin the sector, supported by Jamaica’s location along major east–west shipping routes and its established role in trans-shipment.

The Port Authority of Jamaica is continuing to expand, with upgrades planned or under way in Kingston, Montego Bay and Port Antonio, alongside longer-term efforts to build out a logistics hub and attract more cargo.

However, with trans-shipment dominating activity, the extent to which those investments translate into sustained growth will depend largely on global trade flows and shipping line decisions.