By Kisean Joseph
The Antigua and Barbuda Port Authority (ABPA) is navigating a complex modernization process at Deepwater Harbour, balancing infrastructural upgrades with equipment challenges while working to maintain competitive rates, according to Port Manager Darwin Telemaque.
In a recent interview, Telemaque revealed that some infrastructural improvements were already completed. These include multiple berths and the separation of cruise and cargo operations; yet the port faced some operational hurdles in 2024 due to aging equipment.
“Our biggest challenge in 2024 has been our port equipment,” Telemaque said. “The port itself has been modernized, but we need to automate the space with the right marine assets, the right onshore physical assets, cranes, stackers, straddle carriers, forklifts, and refrigerated equipment.”
The ABPA is implementing what Telemaque described as a “five-pillar development strategy” that could serve as a model for other ports in the region. “We have actually come up with a template in Antigua that we are now highlighting for all the ports in the region to actually use as a development matrix,” he explained. The strategy includes modernization, automation, digitalization, and decarbonization, with what Telemaque called “humanization” at its core.
To address the equipment shortfall, ABPA has approached several entities about potential public-private partnerships. Under the proposed arrangement, private agents would procure and maintain new cranes, with the port paying per lift. “The maintenance, upkeep and the redundancies that are needed to be in place to ensure that we have no downtime would all be part of that partnership,” Telemaque said.
That financing structure aims to upgrade equipment without increasing costs to the public. “We built the port without raising rates on the public. If we can now equip the port without raising rates on the public, we would really have pulled off a big coup,” Telemaque noted, describing it as a “Houdini-type strategy”.
Alongside equipment modernization, the port is introducing enhanced safety protocols and investing in staff development. New requirements include mandatory personal protective equipment (PPE) for port access. “You can no longer walk into the port without the proper PPEs, proper shoes [and] with a hard hat on.” Telemaque explained that these measures will help to ensure the right “mental posture” for the environment while protecting the port from liability.
The Port Authority is also focusing on cultural transformation through new training initiatives. “We’re going to be doing some human resource development from the standpoint of customer service and customer care,” Telemaque said. He believes this cultural shift will lead to better cargo handling and improved service quality. “If you’re more aware of your commitment to your customers, you look out for them better and differently. If you are more in tune with your customer, you handle their cargo with more care and conscientiousness.”
