Jamaica, China firms ink port studies extension

The Jamaican government, China Communication & Construction Company (CCCC) and China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) extended a framework agreement for the Portland Bight transshipment port project.

The initiative involves construction and operation of a port and industrial and logistics facilities within the Portland Bight area.

The original agreement was inked in August 2014, and the extension is needed so that data-gathering and analysis work can be finished, according to state news agency Jamaica Information Service.

The proposal to build at Portland Bight – a protected area – has drawn criticism from conservation groups who claim the project, particularly dredging work and land development, would compromise the area's ecosystems.

Further work planned for Portland Bight includes access road construction, the laying of water and sewage pipelines and the construction of electric transmission infrastructure and a coal-fired power station. Required investment is expected to be around US$1.5bn.

The project is being implemented as a public-private partnership, under a design, build, operate, own and transfer scheme, although no indication has been given as to the duration of the concession period.

Present at the extension signing was CHEC's Americas division general manager Wang Xiaofeng, CCCC VP Sun Ziyu, Jamaican transport, works and housing minister Omar Davies, and the president of Jamaica Port Authority – tasked with evaluating the proposals put forward by CHEC – Gordon Shirley.

CHEC is a wholly owned subsidiary of CCCC.