The Port Management Association of the Caribbean (PMAC) presented its top award for marine port performance, the Novaport Cup, to the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Port Authority.
The award is a result of marine port performance during the previous calendar year.
The announcement and presentation of the 2018 awards were made at the final event of the PMAC’s 21st Annual General Meeting in Jamaica. The three-day event, at which the PMAC also celebrated its 20th anniversary, was held at the Jewel Dunn’s River Resort, June 27, 28 and 29.
Jamaica’s Kingston Wharves and the Nevis Air and Sea Ports Authority tied for second place and Antigua’s main port (winner in 2017 and 2016) placed third.
Record entries
St. Vincent and the Grenadines won from a field of 12 regional seaports.
“To date this is the most received in any year and illustrates the growth in the membership (of PMAC); as well as the commitment of the member ports to this (annual) performance review,” said PMAC Executive Secretary, Glenn Roach,
who presented the report and winners to a packed room at the PMAC annual
awards dinner.
“Overall it was a challenging year and most ports were affected to varying degrees by a very active hurricane season,” He said.
Given the number and intensity of the destructive hurricanes that passed through the Caribbean, the summer of 2017 was devastating for several Caribbean ports. The British Virgin Islands were particularly impacted and, as a result, four of the five Port Performance Indicators (PPIs) were negatively affected. Only the PPI relating to staffing levels showed improvement, Mr. Roach said.
The Port of Montserrat recorded positive results in only two of the five PPIs measured. Cargo volumes increased and the staffing levels to handle this increased volume were controlled. However, the other three PPIs were all negatively impacted.
French Guyana, the Grand Port Maritime de Guyane, recorded positives in only two of the five PPIs reviewed by PMAC for the Novaport Cup. Revenue generated per revenue ton (RT) was up while staffing expenses were reduced. The volumes through the port decreased marginally.
St. Maartin - Galisbay Port, Barbados Port Inc., Suriname Port Management Company and Port Castries all experienced mixed results. All recorded improvements in three of the five PPIs but experienced challenges with two.
“It should be noted that there was a decline in the key PPI indicator of net profit for all four ports,” Mr. Roach noted.
St. Christopher Air & Sea Port Authority also had mixed results, recording improvements in three of the five PPIs examined and challenges with the other two.
Top ports
Of the four remaining ports who all recorded quite impressive performances as per the PPIs being examined, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Port Authority was the only one showing an improvement over last year’s performance in all five PPI categories. Cargo volumes increased; revenues generated per RT were up; expenses per RT declined marginally; net profit increased significantly; and, staffing per RT declined. As such, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Port Authority was nominated as this year’s winner of the Novaport Cup.
Kingston Wharves Limited and Nevis Air and Sea Ports Authority both showed improvements over the previous year in all but one category of the PPIs being examined which, the PMAC Executive Secretary said, presented a very real challenge in identifying one port for second place.
Kingston Wharves Limited maintained a volume of over 1.6 million revenue tons; increased revenue generated; increased net profit; and, reduced staffing. The PPI relative to expenses per revenue ton proved to be challenging and an increase of 10% was recorded over the previous year.
Meanwhile, Nevis Air and Sea Ports Authority, recorded an increase in volume of 42%. Expenses per revenue ton were down; net profit increased and staffing per RT was declined significantly. The PPI relative to Revenue generated per RT was the one, which proved to be challenging and a decrease of 10% below last year figure was recorded.
“It was difficult to separate these performances and as such it was recommended that both ports be awarded joint second place,” Mr. Roach said.
Antigua and Barbuda Port Authority also recorded improvements in all but one category of the PPIs examined. Increases in volume handled; revenue generated and net profits were recorded; and, staffing per RT was reduced by 9%.
This performance was similar to that of Kingston Wharves and Nevis in that one performance indicator was missed but based on the difference in the
level of improvements, third place was awarded to the Antigua and Barbuda
Port Authority.