The Bahamas and China on Thursday signed a bilateral maritime agreement to ease travel and trade in each other’s waterways.
According to the agreement, Chinese and Bahamian authorities will offer the same access to their waters for ships registered, owned or sailed by nationals from the other country.
The agreement also lowers port charges for ships from the two countries, and grants the ships more access to port facilities.
The agreement was signed Thursday afternoon by the Bahamian transportation minister and visiting Chinese officials, including China’s communications vice-minister, Shanxiang Hong, and vice president of China Ocean Shipping Co. Americas, Wang Yuhang.
“We share a lot in the maritime sector with the Bahamas. We have a lot of common ground,” Hong said after the signing.
The Bahamas currently has the world’s third largest number of international ships on its register, while China is the world’s third largest shipbuilder, Transport Minister Glenys Hanna-Martin said.
Associated Press
