Shipping vessels bypassing Jamaica

 

More alarm bells are being sounded regarding the problems at Kingston Freeport Terminal which have affected the movement of cargo.

 

The Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Association of  Jamaica is reporting that several cargo ships are bypassing Jamaica due to delays in offloading cargo. It has linked the delays to the Kingston Freeport Terminal being under-staffed.

 

In an interview with RJR News last night (Thursday) Mitzie Burke-Green, President of the Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Association of Jamaica,  shed light on why vessels have been avoiding the island and the ripple effects. 

 

"We have vessels that should have arrived here on the 5th (of September), bypassed Jamaica, went elsewhwere, the goods were then re-loaded onto another vessel to come into Jamaica, arrived in Jamaiaca on the 18th but again those containers were not unloaded fromthe vessel until the 22nd into the 23rd... That is nearly a month delay," she said.

 

"This obviously causes great uncertainty in the export sector," she said.

 

The Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Association wants answers on whether the problems will be resolved soon as business operators gear up for the Christmas season.