Within weeks of the announcement that FCP had passed a major milestone in its throughput capacity ﾖ 1 million TEUs (twenty foot equivalent unit the standard size of a container), the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) announced a multimillion dollar expansion and upgrade programme.
The planned expansion which is expected to cost US$35 million, is part of the portﾴs mandate to become the leading container port in this part of the western hemisphere. The expansion and upgrading of the facility includes new equipment, berth upgrade and paved storage areas.
In 2002 the Freeport Container Port handled 800,000 TEUs to Kingstonﾴs 961,097 TEUs, its maximum capacity. Freeport Container Port a more modern and better equipped facility was able to surpass the Kingston Container Terminal in 2003 as the leading Caribbean transshipment hub.
FCP Chief Executive Chris Gray said that the companyﾴs achievement reaffirmed ﾓour ambitious development plans and firmly establishes Freeport as a major hub for the Americas and Caribbean region.”
Although planned expansion at Kingston Container Terminal includes four super cranes and 12 straddle carriers, these may not be enough to catapult it ahead of the 90-acre FCP which presently boasts 10 container quay cranes and 30 staddle carriers.
In addition, FCP is completing its US$75 million Phase IV a full year ahead of PAJﾴs planned upgrade of the Kingston Container Terminal whose 1.5 million TEU capacity is not expected to be effective before 2005.
FCPﾴs Phase IV includes deepening the navigation channel to over 50 feet, new container handling equipment and an additional 32 acres of stacking area.
Despite its valiant attempts it is unlikely that the smaller facility will be able to compete with
The Bahama Journal
