By Carlena Knight
Plans to transform the country’s port into a global shipping hub are presently underway.
Port Manager Darwin Telemaque said discussions are taking place with experts from Jamaica – which houses the only global seaport in the Caricom area – in a bid to set up a similar system at Deep Water Harbour.
Talks are presently underway with two port owners in Jamaica about building such a framework in Antigua.
Global hubs like the one in Jamaica receive cargo from all over the world and, according to Telemaque, following these discussions the hope is to adopt a similar service which would then result in the twin island nation expanding business with other countries.
Transitioning the port into a global hub will not only see an increase in the amount of cargo coming into Antigua, but it would also increase revenue and offer opportunities for Antigua to become a hub for OECS countries whose ports cannot operate such a service.
Telemaque further revealed that a port in the US has shown interest in collaborating with Antigua and Barbuda.
He declined to name that port, but continued, “There is one major port who I met with a month ago or just about and they have indicated their interest to come in on January 16 to sign an MOU with us, and that’s very exciting because here is a major port in the United States indicating that they would like to come here and be part of what we developed.
“It’s sort of like the port is becoming a field of dreams but, in actuality, what we are seeing is the result of a well planned investment and it’s well timed.
“We have built out the space, it’s larger than our local capacity, we can add more stuff to it, we can facilitate more stuff and they are now saying, maybe that’s a good spot to go and utilise.
“They are coming, we are discussing and we are looking forward to doing a whole lot with that space,” he added.
Telemaque spoke on these developments a day before the official opening of the retrofitted port.
News of the US$90 million redevelopment completion came in September when Telemaque revealed that a document had been signed with top officials from the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), the group that was contracted in 2018 to construct a cargo port and cruise ship harbour in Antigua.
There were however several delays over the years, the biggest brought on by the Covid pandemic, but the Chinese firm stayed the course and completed the work, and the port now boasts a new cruise berth, as well as cargo and logistics facilities and other amenities.
Offices were also built to house the Customs and Excise Division, Plant Protection Unit, Immigration and other services that customers accessing the port would generally have to journey to St John’s and back for.
Meanwhile, final preparations are being put in place for today’s opening ceremony which is set to take place at 2pm with speakers including Telemaque and Prime Minister Gaston Browne.
The historic ribbon-cutting will take place at gate three which will also be renamed in honour of Winston Gomes who is reportedly the first ever worker documented at the port.
“We need to elevate the folks at the port who have made contributions over the years and one such individual has been at the port since 1969 and tomorrow we will be unveiling gate number three, the Winston KN Gomes Gate.
“We are going to name that part of the port after a long-serving member who worked there from 1969 to 2004 and is now a member of the board in the latter part of his life.
“We are going to celebrate him and it is going to be a fun time,” Telemaque said.
Gomes was awarded this week by Governor General Sir Rodney Williams for his service.
He was invested with the insignia Grand Officer, the Most Illustrious Order of Merit (GOM) for his outstanding contribution to the development of the port and shipping sectors of Antigua and Barbuda.
Regarded as a founding member of the port, Gomes was employed with the government’s Harbour Division and later with the Antigua Port Authority for over 30 years in various operational and managerial capacities.
Under his tenure the port was transformed into a viable economic organisation by instituting regional best practices, training employees and improving overall standards.
