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A Contract was signed between the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) and Carnival Corporation, the owners of Carnival Cruise Lines, which will guarantee Jamaica 2, 500,000 cruise ship passengers over the period 2004-2008.

Speaking at the signing, Minister Robert Pickersgill highlighted the fact that Port Authority (PAJ) had been pursuing a number of programmes which were designed to refurbish and upgrade Jamaica's cruise shipping facilities. These development programmes include dredging projects in the ports of Montego Bay and Port Antonio in order to enhance depth and width of channel. 'These improvements', Minister Pickersgill said, 'will facilitate access to the island's ports of mega vessels such as the Carnival Conquest which is the largest vessel in the Carnival Cruise lines'.

The Port Authority has actually embarked on an aggressive campaign to promote and market the industry internationally. To this end, a Vice President with responsibility for cruise shipping, Mr. William Tatham was appointed. Some M$236 have been spent on the physical works and promotion programmes related to cruise shipping since the Port Authority has taken charge of the sector. It plans to spend some $190 million in the 2004/2005 fiscal year.

The importance of Cruise Shipping to Jamaica's toursim industry dates back to the 1870's with the arrival of passengers aboard the banana boats of American se captain Lorenzo Dow Baker and its impact has only grown since then. By the 1980's, per annum passenger numbers have grown steadily from 133,000 in 1980 to 444,000 in 1989 with very encouraging future prospects for the industry. Added to that the Authority's programme of physical improvements of cruise facilities has been attracting the confidence of cruise shipping companies reflecting in a record 1.1 million cruise shipping passengers visiting the island. Growth has also been recorded out of the European market with a projection of 180 cruise ship calls for 2002-2004.

Currently, the island enjoys seasonal homeports out of Europe, with the added benefit of increased airlift in the winter season out of the UK and Germany. Discussions are now going on with a number of additional European cruise companies with a view to having them base their vessels in Jamaica.

The duration of the contract is five years from January 1, 2004 - December 31, 2008.
The guaranteed cruise passenger traffic is five hundred thousand visitors annually.
A guarantee that eighty thousand cruise passengers of the above number to visit Montego Bay.
The total contract value is for a minimum of over $B1 (US$17.75M) This figure refers to revenues such as user fees accruing to the Authority.

The new measures involved in the upgrade are currently required to meet the security standards specified by the International Maritime Organisation's International Ship and Port Facility Code (IMO, ISPS Code) for certification of Jamaican ports.

In keeping with the Authority's expansion mode, plans are far advanced with the following components of the programme in respect of all cargo and cruise shipping ports.

X-ray Units for the inspection of containers and break bulk cargo - five of which arrived on the island a few weeks ago
A system of Closed Circuit TV surveillance (CCTV)
An electronic access control system
Underwater Surveillance cameras
X-ray Units for hand luggage of cruise ship passengers
Floating barriers in cruise port basins
Seaside patrols by Marine Police and Coats Guard
Implementation of a ground transport policy for cruise ship passengers
Major training and sensitisation programmes for employees and interest groups.

The expansion of the Port of Montego Bay to enable its accommodation of two ultra-voyager ships by 2006
The expansion of the Port of Ocho Rios, which is currently operating at capacity
The dredging of the Port Antonio harbour to facilitate vessels of up to 720 feet deep
The development of Navy Island as a private island experience for cruise passengers.
The feasibility of studies with regard to the construction of a cruise ship facility at Lucea.

The contract between PAJ and Carnival Cruise Lines is the first such entered into by Jamaica and a Cruise line which guarantees delivery of any number approaching 500,000 visitors per year over a five year period. To that extent, the contract is therefore groundbreaking in more ways than one as it enables the Authority to have a more specific focus and handle on the planning process for the expansion of the sector.