KFTL completes dredging of Kingston Harbour early
THE Kingston Freeport Terminal Limited (KFTL) has announced the completion of the capital dredging of the shipping channel in the Kingston Harbour, one-and-a-half months ahead of schedule.
KFTL said in a release yesterday that the dredging of the harbour, which was scheduled to be completed in nine months, has fulfilled all conditions outlined in its environment permit issued by the National Environmental and Planning Agency (NEPA).
“The dredging facilitated the deepening of the nautical access to allow the Port of Kingston to accommodate larger New Panamax container vessels, which will now be passing through the region following the recent expansion of the Panama Canal,” KFTL said.
The final handover of the upgraded nautical access to the Port Authority will occur in the coming weeks pending the completion of verification surveys and the reinstatement of navigational aids.
KFTL, the new concessionaire for the Port of Kingston, said it started the dredging in January under the terms of its concessionary agreement with the Port Authority of Jamaica. Under the agreement, KFTL assumed operations of Jamaica’s main trans-shipment port, allowing it to finance, develop, expand, and operate the facility over a 30-year period. The agreement took effect in July last year.