Logistics Hub

MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Unlike many companies that have experienced a fallout in business due to the onset on the novel coronavirus, online order and delivery service 876GET in Mandeville has grown and now has its vision set on islandwide coverage. Head of operations Carolyn Fennell told the Jamaica Observer that the company offers customers a variety of choices by electronic commerce (e-commerce). “We are building an e-commerce ecosystem. We are building communities from the ground up where people can tap into buying food, groceries, technology, you name it; it doesn’t matter the product. There are people that deliver from their store to the customer’s door without hassle,” she said. The delivery company is web-based and has a smartphone application which is favourable in reducing the risk of COVID-19 spread. “It is built with delivery in mind. It is built with convenience in mind, especially for a time like this where persons are trying to limit face-to-face interactions,” Fennell said. She said the company “has been in development for the better part of two years, but with the onset of COVID-19 it kind of sped things up a little bit. The testing of the software, the applications, and so on, started as early as April. But if we were to pin down an exact start date, we would say July 13”. Delivery services have come to the rescue of the restaurant sector with businesses such as 876GET increasing staff to meet demand. “We started off with a very small staff of four people. However, in terms of delivery personnel, what we do is that we connect businesses to delivery persons. In the initial stages, we had two persons who were involved in the delivery side of things; now we have upwards of 30 persons,” Fennell said. The company’s vision of expanding to an islandwide delivery service is expected to be achieved by early 2021. “Not only is 876Get operational in Mandeville, it is also in Linstead, because the vision for this is to take it islandwide. Jamaica does not have a good delivery network, and there has been slow on-time delivery prior to a platform like this. If you think about it, you purchase something from somebody locally and it would take a day or two days to get to you, because they send it via mail or courier service,” Fennell said. “We have set out to bring that time down from days to minutes and hours.” She said the company’s website and app are what drive the business. “It is a virtual business, and most of what we do is driven through the website and the app. Our core staff is fairly small,” she went on. 876GET is set to expand its delivery services on the north coast this week. “We are in Mandeville and Linstead, but this week Ocho Rios is starting and in another few weeks it is going to be Montego Bay,” Fennell said, adding that the company’s goal is to help build the economy. “We are going one community at a time. We believe that if we can get people in these towns buying from each other and getting money circulating in these hours, we are building the economy,” she said. “It is building the little man on the corner and so everybody will feel more comfortable.” The app indicates to each customer the delivery services available in their area. “The same 876GET app that you use in Mandeville is the same app you will use in Linstead, but you are not going to necessarily see a Mandeville business when you are in Linstead, unless it is a business set up for islandwide delivery,” Fennell said. “We have opened the floodgates to any company that is willing to come on-board and basically to build Jamaica, one community at a time,” she added. “The majority of the businesses that are on the app right now are food establishments. We have people who do make-up, pharmaceuticals, household chemicals, grocery, you name it,” she said. Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/business-report/876get-delivery-eyes-islandwide-service_205969?profile=1056

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) Foundation have officially launched the project, Building a Sustainable Electric Mobility Ecosystem for Inclusion and Access, to ensure greater involvement of small businesses and other key stakeholders in the expansion of electric mobility in Jamaica. The JPS Foundation will be responsible for executing the project, which aims at building an enabling environment for electric mobility, through the creation of opportunities for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and their employees in the electric vehicle value chain. In launching the project, Jamaica’s Chief of Operations, Lorenzo Escondeur, said that “as urbanisation increases, e-mobility is the new frontier for transportation across the world. It is greener, healthier, and more cost effective. We are pleased to be partnering with the JPS Foundation as part of this green energy revolution in Jamaica as we join the rest of the world in making significant strides in reducing our carbon footprint. We are also greatly enthused at the prospects of creating a whole new entrepreneurial ecosystem around this initiative, which is very important in this period of COVID when new skills and business opportunities are within reach to readily embrace and exploit.” “The time is right for this electric mobility project, and the partnership between the IDB Lab and the JPS Foundation,” said Alphie Mullings-Aiken, JPS Foundation Chair. “With over four million electric vehicles sold globally in the last two years, it is clear that electric mobility is a part of our future. The environmental and economic benefits of owning and operating electric vehicles will no doubt accelerate the demand right here in Jamaica. This partnership with the IDB Lab will play a critical role in ensuring that Jamaica is ready. We thank the IDB Lab for choosing the JPS Foundation as the executing agency for this project, which is directly aligned with our focus on energy education and the preservation of the environment,” she indicated. The three main components of the electric mobility project are: market sensitisation, public awareness, and knowledge management; innovative technology and finance; and technical capacity building and training. At the end of the three-year project, it is expected that, among other things, 400 individuals would have been trained and upskilled in the maintenance and safety related to Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) technology; 15 innovative green businesses models would have been supported; 50 new employment opportunities created for the renewable energy & EV sector; and at least 12 public charging stations installed by JPS. Dionne Nugent, JPS’ Director for Business Development, also welcomed the partnership. “The IDB/JPS Foundation electric mobility project will definitely support JPS’ plans to roll out public charging stations across the island. JPS recognises that the charging infrastructure is an important part of the support system needed to drive the growth of e-mobility in Jamaica, and has been taking the initial steps to get this infrastructure in place. We have now finalised agreements for the first set of charging stations, which will be installed in early 2021,” she said. Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/JPS_Foundation_to_implement_IDB_electric_mobility_project?profile=1548

Jamaica has moved up nine places in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2020 ranking to hold the 72nd position across the upper-middle-income countries as it relates to innovative capabilities. The report, which is now in its 13th edition, noted that Jamaica’s ranking has moved from 81st to 72nd in 2020, ranking seventh among the eighteen economies in Latin American and the Caribbean, and performing above average in three out of the seven GII pillars: institutions, business sophistication and creative output. Switzerland is ranked as the world’s most innovative economy, followed by Sweden, the US, the UK and the Netherlands, according to the GII 2020. The Global Innovation Index (GII) is co-published by Cornell University, European Institute of Business Administration (INSEAD), and the World Intellectual Property Organisation. It provides detailed metrics about the innovation performance of 131 countries and economies around the world. Its 80 indicators explore a broad vision of innovation, including political environment, education, infrastructure and business sophistication. State Minister in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Dr Norman Dunn, who was addressing staff of the Jamaica Intellectual Property Office (JIPO) at their Trafalgar Road office on Monday, October 12, lauded Jamaica’s upward movement and took the opportunity to commend the work of the agency. “I must commend you on the tremendous work that you have been doing over the years in pushing Intellectual Property, and protecting the work of our innovators and inventors in Jamaica.” “We see JIPO as a piece of the puzzle in the governance structure of the country, particularly, in relation to the treaties that you sign, the innovations that you might have, and the intellectual capacity that we have that needs to be highlighted and protected. You are like the unsung hero,” Dunn said. He urged Jamaicans to look at what the country already has that is appreciated externally, and build on its strengths. At the same time, he encouraged the JIPO staff to continue to look beyond traditional music and sports, to fresh ideas that can lead to income-generating opportunities. “The everyday man needs to understand that his ideas are not foolish. We need to empower them with confidence and opportunities. This can only benefit Jamaica,” he underscored. Meanwhile, Executive Director, Jamaica Intellectual Property Office, Lilyclaire Bellamy, said that “this move is a significant achievement for the Government and people of Jamaica, and signals the recognition by the Government of Jamaica of the importance of providing support to areas such as Research and Development (R&D). The government has invested in these areas which has facilitated the upward movement”. “We encourage all our innovators and creatives to utilize the registration system offered at the JIPO, avail themselves of the wealth of information, and utilize the services of the Intellectual Property Office,” Bellamy added. Source: https://www.loopjamaica.com/content/jamaica-moves-9-places-global-innovative-index-0

Perhaps in your exploration of our land of wood and water, you may have looked out seaward and, depending on your location, seen the outlines of vessels plying their trade. In your wanderlust, how often do you consider the history behind the ports or harbours you encounter? Jamaica’s ports are an important part of our national economy. From bauxite to alumina, cement, and consumer goods, our ports have been hives of activity facilitating crucial movements for every industry you can think of. The port of Kingston and the outports – Portland Bight, which includes Port Esquivel, Rocky Point, Old Harbour and Salt River; Port Kaiser; Montego Bay; Falmouth; Rio Bueno; Discovery Bay; Ocho Rios; and Port Antonio – currently serve as the island’s active ports. Interestingly, the nuances of our country’s rich history are often hinted at in the names of these gateways – Port Kaiser and Port Esquivel are two such examples. Both ports are located on Jamaica’s south coast. Built in 1952, and previously known as Puerta de Esquivela, Port Esquivel is located about 22 miles west of Kingston. The St Catherine port was named after the first deputy governor of Jamaica, Juan de Esquivel, a nod to his Spanish origins. Near to the fishing village of Alligator Pond lies Port Kaiser. The St Elizabeth port was established in the early 1960s and is located about 54 miles west of Kingston. Following the discovery of bauxite in the 1940s and the subsequent formation of the bauxite-alumina industry, Ports Esquivel and Kaiser were established for the export of alumina – the substance that is extracted from bauxite and used as a starting material for the smelting of aluminium. Bauxite mining is still considered a top performer in Jamaica’s economy, with mining projections at 6.70 million tonnes. The historic development, unique geographic characteristics and evolving trade patterns make the role of the port crucial to the shipping industry. Jamaica Freight & Shipping Company Limited are the port agents for Port Esquivel, and their chairman, Charles Johnston, explained, “Port Esquivel was developed by Alcan, then sold to Glencore, who then sold it to the present owners, Rusal. In addition to its main business, which is the export of alumina, Port Esquivel also handles animal feed for Jamaica Broilers (Hi-Pro); molasses for Caribbean Molasses; bunkers for West Indies Petroleum; and heavy equipment which cannot go over certain bridges and have to be discharged outside of Kingston.” No two ports are the same. They can each present a unique challenge to seafarers who must navigate their channels, sometimes daily. According to marine pilot Norbert ‘Shag B’ Bradshaw, “The channel approaching Port Esquivel was built in 1952 to accommodate ships up to 400 feet long. Apart from the lengthening of the pier, the infrastructure was not upgraded, and the same facility is accommodating ships twice the size, therefore, making manoeuvring very difficult and restricted. With the advent of tugboats roughly seven years ago, manoeuvring has been made safer.” DISTINCT ADVANTAGE He continued, “Port Esquivel can accommodate two ships at once, one on the east side of the pier and the other on the west side. This gives the port a distinct advantage in loading and unloading two different types of cargo at the same time.” Managing Director of Maritime & Transport Services Limited Kim Clarke noted that “Port Kaiser was developed by Kaiser Aluminium and Norsk Hydro, thus the name Alumina Partners (Alpart). This company was also sold to Rusal and then to Jiquan Iron and Steel (JISCO). The traditional cargo handled is the export of alumina, and import of fuel oil, diesel oil and caustic soda. More recently, locomotives and windmill blades for the wind farms area.” Regarding Port Kaiser, Bradshaw explained, “Berthing ships in Port Kaiser is a difficult manoeuvre. Both ship anchors must be used in getting the ship alongside safely. It is necessary for the pier to be of 34 feet in height, approximately three times the height of the piers in Kingston. This design was necessary because of the large swells and strong winds that roll in from the open sea. When a ship is alongside, it will be riding up and down the swells, therefore the height of the pier must be high enough to accommodate the movement of the vessel.” He further explained that Port Kaiser is considered one of the more challenging ports for the marine pilot. The port is currently closed for dredging and upgrading. The marine pilot also noted that both ports are considered deepwater ports to handle vessels up to 50,000 metric tonnes. These vessels include bulk carriers, tankers, and other miscellaneous cargo vessels. While sharing more about the differences in ports across the island, Bradshaw explained that “the traffic in Ports Esquivel and Kaiser do not readily compare to the numbers in the Port of Kingston. However, Port Esquivel handles about 16 vessels per month, and Port Kaiser, when in full operation, about the same”. Unsurprisingly, ports do not only serve as economic but also social functions. From labourers, who double as line handlers when ships are berthing and unberthing, to stevedores and middle management, Ports Esquivel and Kaiser have been significant in providing employment to the members of the surrounding St Catherine and St Elizabeth communities. Our ports play a crucial role to the overall flow of infrastructure and provisions needed for an efficient maritime industry. Learning their nuances is an important step in understanding how interconnected these organisations are with our economy and social structure. Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/shipping/20201020/exploring-jamaicas-outports-port-esquivel-and-port-kaiser#slideshow-2