ST JAMES, Jamaica – Discussions are underway for additional development of the Ken Wright Cruise Ship Pier in Port Antonio, Portland.

The disclosure was made by Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett recently during a Destination Assurance tour of Portland.

Last winter, the Ken Wright Cruise Ship Pier experienced its busiest winter season with the arrival of 12 cruise ships, carrying over 5,000 visitors. Several mega yachts have also been arriving monthly at the pier.

“We had a chance to look at the Ken Wright Pier, which has now been brought back into activity post-COVID. We’re very happy to note that they had a record arrival of vessels in the winter that added to the economic well-being of the people in the area. It’s a good signal that the activities at the pier are stepping up and I want to commend the team at Port Authority of Jamaica and Jamaica Vacations Limited, who have been working to get the Port Antonio cruise industry back on track,” Bartlett said.

The tourism minister underscored that given this upward trajectory, he and his team at the ministry are thrilled about the future of cruise in the parish.

He added that plans are afoot to seriously incorporate Navy Island into Portland’s tourism product. But he was quick to explain that additional details would become available at the opportune time.

Notwithstanding this, some residents in attendance at the public consultation meeting raised concerns about the pace at which cruise ships were returning to the Ken Wright Pier.

“Port Antonio only accommodates boutique vessels, which mean that they can go to every other destination, making it very competitive to get them into Port Antonio. Our cruise season runs from October to March, so it’s not going to be all year round. Before COVID, we were not getting more than six vessels and last winter we had twelve. So, I think we’re doing very well,” Port Manager Donna Samuda-Wilson said.

Bartlett further noted that with Port Antonio’s natural beauty and the development presently taking place, it will easily become a preferred port of call for cruise ships.

“The government is channelling significant investments into transforming the eastern end of the island. That’s why the Destination Assurance Framework and Strategy (DAFS) are so important. We are preparing the public and stakeholders to all play their parts in bringing together a unique and profitable tourism experience for the people of Portland as well as visitors,” the tourism minister argued.