Shipping stakeholders receive update on regulations governing hazardous chemicals
Stakeholders in the shipping industry were last week educated on the local and international regulatory framework that guides the movement of hazardous chemicals at the country's ports of entry.
The stakeholders benefited from several presentations from various ministries and agencies over a three-hour awareness seminar held at the Shipping Association of Jamaica (SAJ) on July 12.
The seminar was a partnership between the SAJ, Kingston Wharves Limited (KWL), and the Ministry of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change.
Presenters provided information on best practices concerning the shipping, storage, and general management of dangerous substances, and the role of their respective ministries and agencies.
For the regulatory framework as it relates to import, transit and trans-shipment of hazardous chemical consignments, industry stakeholders received information on chemical regulation in Jamaica - Princess Osbourne, director, Standards and Regulations Division, Ministry of Health; regulating pesticide importation - Michael Ramsay, registrar, Pesticides Control Authority; regulation of hazardous wastes consignments - Marie Chambers, manager, Legal Services Branch, National Environment and Planning Agency; and storage requirements for chemicals - Antoinette Peart, occupational safety and heath coordinator, Bureau of Standards.
Regarding other legislation governing hazardous chemicals at ports of entry, presentations included the role of the Jamaica Customs Department, presented by Cebert Mitchell, acting collector, Airport Operations, Jamaica Customs; role of the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) in the regulation of dangerous goods on the ports - Captain Hopeton Delisser, PAJ; and regulation of dangerous goods on ports: an international perspective - Bertrand Smith, director, legal affairs, Maritime Authority of Jamaica.
Industry members who attended the seminar included terminal operators, shipping agents, stevedoring, companies, customs brokers, and security providers.
A second seminar will be held in Montego Bay at a later date to provide updates to western stakeholders.
CAPTION: Trevor Riley (left), general manager of the Shipping Association of Jamaica (SAJ), and Linval Bailey (centre), vice-president of security, Port Authority of Jamaica, welcome Lt Col Oral Khan, chief technical director, Ministry of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change to the industry sensitisation seminar on hazardous chemicals at the ports of entry. The seminar was a partnership between the SAJ, Kingston Wharves Limited, and the Ministry of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change. The seminar was held on July 12 at the Shipping Association of Jamaica.