STARBOARD BRIEFING
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INTERCEPTOR VESSELS DELIVERED TO PANAMA Damen Shipyards recently delivered four of its Interceptor 1102 vessels to the National Air and Naval Service of Panama (SENAN). These vessels were built by Damen Shipyards Antalya in Turkey and they will be based at Fort Sherman at the Caribbean end of the canal. Their main purpose will be to combat illegal drug trafficking, but they will also be used for anti-smuggling, anti-terrorist, rapid response and surveillance duties. With a speed of up to 55 knots, the 11 meter Interceptor operates with two crew and can carry up to four additional naval or security personnel. SENAN ordered four more of the same Interceptors on delivery of the first four.
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PORTMIAMI REACHES GLOBAL MILESTONE PortMiami welcomed nearly 5 million cruise passengers during the 2016 cruise season, a world record. The port handled 4.98 million passengers, 1.5 per cent more than in the previous season. In October it was announced that US$ 33 million in state grants was being allocated to PortMiami up to 2021 to fund the expansion of Cruise Terminal F into a mega facility able to handle 5,000 passengers at a time. An agreement was also signed with Royal Caribbean Cruises to build a new 170,000 sq ft terminal to provide home-porting for vessels up to Oasis-class size.
KINGSTON – WORK BEGINS ON NEW GK HEADQUARTERS Work began on 1 March on a new headquarters in Street, Kingston, for the food and financial services company GraceKennedy Ltd (GK). This follows the signing in February of a contract with China Sinopharm International Corporation (CSIC), which won the bid ahead of three other companies to construct the 10-storey building. During construction, the project will generate some 180 jobs, mostly for Jamaicans.
FELIX MIZIOZNIKOV / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
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PORT MIAMI
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