Thursday, November 19 2009

Trade Minister Mariano Browne said the maritime sector has to demonstrate efficiency if it wants to encourage more business.

“In order for Trinidad and Tobago to be considered as a business friendly, competitive, investment option, we must ensure an efficient and customer focused maritime industry,” he said.

Speaking at a Maritime industry seminar — “Maritime and supply chain security in a post 9/11 world” — at Cara Suites Hotel and Conference centre in Claxton Bay, Browne said with the world still living in the shadow of 9/11, security within the global maritime industry remains firmly in focus.

Local ports, such as Port-of-Spain and Point Lisas are major gateways for containerised, bulk and specialised cargo and there have been major developments in their facilities and operations to accommodate this growth and the concomitant increase in international trade. Also, our ports and harbours are visited by the major international shipping lines and agents, such as Maersk, CMA/CGM, Hapag Lloyd, Perez y Cía, clearly demonstrating our connectivity in relation to the major trade lanes.

For Trinidad and Tobago, positioning itself as a major business and commercial centre for the region, these issues are critical, he said.

At the same time, this heightened demand for security must be balanced against increased costs and maintaining the efficiency of shipping services including port.

Browne said even while the world grapples with the global economic downturn, the maritime sector is faced with the challenge of ensuring the industry remains prosperous and facilitates trade while at the same time ensuring that security breaches are prevented or minimised.

In 2004, he said the Marine Ship Safety and Port Facility Unit was set up to facilitate the implementation and enforcement of the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code) with the support of the Marine Services Division of the Ministry of Works and Transport.

The unit identified 30 out of 49 port facilities, all of which were certified.

With globalisation and increased movement of goods and people across borders, all nations are seeking to maximise the benefits of international trade by simplifying, standardising and harmonising procedures, he said.

He cited Pt Lisas as a demonstration of a public/private partnership and how it later emerged as a major port in our economic development.

Trinidad and Tobago, he said, accounts for around 80 percent of trade within Caricom and envisages increased trade with the European Union (EU) as the provisions of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) are implemented.

As a result, he said there was need to ensure the continued security of the local maritime industry noting it will support manufacturers in their external market penetration strategy and export drive.

“We must be focused in terms of what we have to do to make the sector work, we must be specific in our plans,” he said noting this was an opportunity to maximise.

He suggested partnering with Panama, a competitor to TT.

In terms of logistics and competitiveness, the largest project which MTI is undertaking is the Single Electronic Window (SEW), which involves placing under one umbrella all Miinistries and agencies involved in trade processing.