The shipping platform

Location: Kingston, the principal port of Jamaica, is located on the S coast of the island. General overview: Kingston is an almost land-locked harbour with approx 21km² of navigable water and depths of up to 27.4m. The Port of Kingston is comprised of Port Bustamante and a number of private berths. There is a large container/transhipment terminal, modern break bulk and Ro-Ro facilities. In addition, there are a number of smaller terminals for the shipment of oil, cement, gypsum and lumber. Integration of the container/transhipment terminal with the adjoining break bulk wharves at Newport West has provided a greater flexibility in the handling of containers, Ro-Ro and break bulk cargoes for local distribution, export and transhipment. The Kingston Export Free Zone has been established by the port authority of Jamaica on land adjacent to the transhipment terminal. This Free Zone offers both foreign and local investors a wide range of incentives to enable them to set up customs free operations in this area. Imports: Lumber, grain, oil, fish and motor vehicles. Exports: Aggregates, gypsum, cement and produce. Traffic figures: Approx 2,530 vessels, 16,200,500t of cargo and 1,900,000TEU handled annually. Load line zone: North Atlantic Seasonal Tropical Area, Tropical Nov 1 to Jul 15, Summer Jul 16 to Oct 31. Max size: Container Terminal: Max draught 14.5m, beam 42m. Largest vessel handled: "Tamerlane," 67,140GT.