With a downturn of more than 30 per cent in cargo trade at the Kingston Wharves Limited since last month, the decline in the maritime industry is still palpable.

Rear Admiral Peter Brady, director general of the Maritime Authority of Jamaica, said yesterday that the decline has resulted in several job cuts in the sector.

"If you're not going to have that movement of freight and cargo, it means there will be no need for as many people as you would normally have," Brady told The Gleaner.

He said a total of 55 workers have lost jobs at Kingston Wharves since last October, and 100 have been sent home from the Kingston Container Terminal since January this year.

"There has been a tremendous downturn in our exports. That, in turn, affects our revenue and the tax base has fallen as a result of the downturn," Brady revealed.

Harbour downturn

Trevor Riley, general manager of the Shipping Association of Jamaica (SAJ), also acknowledged the difficulties facing the industry.

"There has been a downturn in the harbour through the port and that has resulted in a loss of business and this has resulted in some retrenchment and we have lost some jobs," Riley said.

In April, the SAJ announced it would have to slash 62 workers from its payroll.

However, Riley said yesterday that the association was focusing on the positives, and he hopes there will be more jobs in the future.

After a church service to commemorate Maritime Awareness Week and the Shipping Association's 70th anniversary at St Margaret's Church in Liguanea, St Andrew, yesterday, Brady said there were other mounting concerns for the industry.

"We already have more hurricanes as a direct result of the oceans warming up, far more than they used to," he said. "For shipping, it affects scheduling and it would affect us if our ports and harbours are damaged by a hurricane."

Value in sea

Brady said 95 per cent of Jamaica's trade goes by sea, and this has to be done with care.

"We have to ensure that while that the ship is in transit, it is not polluting the sea because we have a lot of value in the sea for Jamaica and our tourism depends on a very clean marine environment."

He said this week's activities, which are being held under the theme 'Climate Change: A Challenge for Jamaica Maritime Too', are designed to inform the public about the significance of the sea.

"Even though we are a small country, if we observe good, sound environmental practices, we can contribute to a part of the whole web of contributions that are taking place in the world to minimise global air emissions."

kimesha.walters@gleanerjm.com