Port at management association meeting in the Cayman islands
GREAT BAY – Port St. Maarten has a representative at the 20th Annual General Meeting of the Port Management Association of the Caribbean (PMAC) in the Cayman Islands. The meeting began yesterday and concludes tomorrow.
Yesterday, the PMAC opened with an executive committee meeting followed by a strategic session and welcome reception in the evening. Today, opening remarks will be delivered by the chairman followed by internal organizational business matters. Tomorrow there will be a number of technical sessions.
Port Management Association of the Caribbean delegates will review the Strategic Plan 2013-2017 and create an upcoming plan as it relates to 21st century continuous and sustainable growth for member ports in collaboration with cargo carriers with respect to better insight into growth perspectives. More emphasis will be placed on discussions related to ‘big data’ for better, decisive and efficient decision-making.
Presentations will be given on the following subjects: yacht market outlook; correct planning, equipment, and the practice of safety protocols for mitigating the risks to life in ports.
Oil spills in ports – How to plan, prepare, mitigate, and react; from vessel traffic service to ship traffic control; natural evolution of modern solutions; improving warehouse operations through automation; discussion on current trends in ferry service and blue sky vision for Caribbean routes; dredging and towing service at Degrad Des Cannes.
“Port St. Maarten is busy preparing to roll out the port community system interconnecting all stakeholders using the already in-house terminal operating system GLS which is provided by IT Partners BV. The port has implemented since 2010 the IT Partner GLS system for its cruise and cargo activities. It also has an extensive real-time database which is nowadays referred to as ‘big data’. Using the port community system will enhance business intelligence and strategic business decisions,” port management pointed out.
PMAC conducted its inaugural meeting in Antigua on 26 June 1998, having succeeded the Port Management Association of the Eastern Caribbean established on 16 May 1988.
The main objective of PMAC is to improve the proficiency of member ports and the quality of services offered to their users, specifically through the facilitation of relevant training designed to maximize human resources, and effectively meet the ever-increasing challenges of the global environment.
Moreover, amidst developments within the maritime industry, the Association strives to remain relevant by providing critical services to members, which entail the sharing of experience, information and ideas, as well as advocacy and representation at multilateral levels.
PMAC’s mission is to foster operational and financial efficiency, and to enhance the level of service to the mutual benefit of Caribbean Ports and their stakeholders, through the sharing of experience, training, information and ideas.
Current membership includes port organizations from the following islands, Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Saint Martin, French Guyane, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts & Nevis, Cayman Islands, Sint Maarten, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Turks and Caicos Islands. There are also a number of associate members.
