The Barbados government says it will be introducing legislation for a greener transition of the shipping sector.
“I will shortly be laying before the House of Parliament for the enactment of the Marine Transport (Emissions Control) suite of legislation, which seeks to green the shipping sector in several areas, for example the promotion of energy-efficient systems and the reduction of carbon emissions and other gases caused by the combustion of fuels in the atmosphere,” said Tourism and International Transport Minister Ian Gooding-Edghill.
“I am fully persuaded that with the introduction of new approaches and the technologies available, the shipping sector can have a positive impact on the environment whilst at the same time recognizing that this must not come at the expense of our human capital, but must rather be complementary in their synergistic application,” he added.
He said the enactment of legislation will help to position the island’s maritime sector towards a sustainable future predicated on the principles of maritime innovation, research and development, and the deployment and demonstration of new technologies, which would assist in mitigating the negative environmental and societal impacts on the sector, such as climate change issues.
Gooding-Edghill said securing a sustainable maritime sector requires a holistic approach by all maritime partners, that must address maritime infrastructure, effective regulatory and legislative regimes, the protection of workers, and based upon a competent and skilled cadre of maritime professionals, who can conceive, develop and implement programs that would position Barbados at the forefront of the maritime industry within the region.
“My ministry is committed to working with the stakeholders and educational institutions to build this capacity,” Gooding-Edghill said.
The government is also moving toward establishing a dedicated boat repair facility and the chief executive officer of the Barbados Port Inc., David Jean-Marie, said in keeping with a wider master plan, approximately 4.5 acres of land along the Mighty Grynner Highway have been allocated for the development.
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