CSA positioned to become regional trade advocate, says new president

Newly elected Caribbean Shipping Association (CSA) President William Brown has pledged that the organisation will become a major force in driving Caribbean trade and economic growth.

“I believe we are perfectly poised to become a regional advocate; to use our connectivity to encourage and facilitate regional trade between our countries. In a region where significant wealth coexists alongside extreme poverty, the leadership of the region and its institutions, including the CSA, must pay closer attention,” Brown said in his inaugural address to members at the association’s 54th Annual General Meeting, Conference and Exhibition in St Maarten.

He added that the CSA’s “contribution to the growth in regional trade must become a major part of our next agenda”.

Commenting on the body’s evolution, Brown said, “We have seen the growth of the CSA from having membership from just the English-speaking Caribbean at its inception, to now include all the countries of the Greater Caribbean area, as well as companies from around the world who do business in the region. We have immersed ourselves in the decarbonisation of the industry by our memorandum of understanding with the Inter-American Development Bank.”

Brown, chairman and CEO of Cascades Shipping Services and immediate past president of the Shipping Association of Jamaica, succeeded Marc Sampson who served as president for the past three years.

An experienced maritime professional with a strong track record in the shipping and logistics industry, Brown brings a wealth of experience to the role, most recently serving as the CSA’s vice-president, and Group D chairman prior to that. He is a chartered accountant and certified international trade professional with a specialisation in fraud, inventory logistics, shipping agency forensics, and international trade investigations. He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Jamaica and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.

Maria del Mar Rodriguez was elected as the CSA’s new vice-president. Del Mar Rodriguez, who was previously CSA Group C chairman, is the assistant vice-president for Hispaniola and the US Virgin Islands at Tropical Shipping and has extensive knowledge of, and insights in, the sector.

With her deep understanding of the Caribbean shipping landscape and her commitment to the industry, Rodriguez is expected to make significant contributions to the CSA leadership team.

The annual general meeting, which ran from October 7-8 at the JW Marriott St Maarten Beach Resort & Spa, brought together almost 400 delegates from across the Caribbean and beyond to discuss key issues facing the maritime industry, including decarbonisation, the global supply chain, cybersecurity, sustainability, and trade facilitation.

The Caribbean Shipping Association is the leading regional body representing the shipping and maritime industry. Founded in 1971, the CSA has been a driving force in promoting the growth and development of the maritime sector in the region. The CSA’s mission is to advocate for the interests of its members, foster regional cooperation, and contribute to the sustainable development of the Caribbean.