Transport and Works Minister Robert Pickersgill said that following the terrorist attacks in the United States in 2001, very stringent measures had been introduced by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to get ports up to international standards.

All our ports had to be certified in keeping with strict and stringent standards that were set by the IMO, the ISPS Code. But separate and apart from that fact, the United States had additional standards, Pickersgill said.

He said the Port Authority of Jamaica was given the mandate to supervise the 22 Government and privately owned ports across Jamaica. It was also to undertake security duties relating to port facilities to ensure that they complied with the required international standards.

To equip itself appropriately to deal with the new measures, the Port Authority spent over US$90 million and the private ports spent an additional US$5 million, Pickersgill said.

He said the Maritime Authority of Jamaica was given the responsibility of ensuring that the country's flagships became compliant with the relevant IMO regulations. Pickersgill also said maritime trade was a significant source of revenue for the country and that much of the trade was conducted with the US.