Maritime Authority of Jamaica

Director General, Bertrand Smith, represented Jamaica at the recent 36th Meeting of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (SPLOS) in New York.

On the margins of , Jamaica joined Malta, Fiji and Singapore in convening the side event “The Enduring Foundation of UNCLOS” (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea), reflecting on the Convention’s enduring relevance & its role in addressing contemporary & emerging issues affecting the oceans.

The strength of UNCLOS lies not only in its comprehensive provisions but also in the commitment of States Parties to uphold and implement them. Respect for international law, peaceful settlement of disputes, and adherence to agreed rules remain fundamental principles that contribute to stability, predictability, and cooperation in the maritime domain are key.

The oceans connect us all. Their sustainable management requires collective action, shared responsibility, and unwavering commitment to multilateralism. UNCLOS provides the framework through which such cooperation can be achieved. It remains the constitution for the oceans, a cornerstone of the international rules-based order and will remain fit for purpose to address emerging challenges facing the ocean.

To this end, Jamaica is keen to maintain the integrity of UNCLOS and is committed to a global rule based regime for the regulation of international shipping.

Celebratory - on Saturday, June 6, the Women in Maritime Association Caribbean (WiMAC) Jamaica Chapter WiMAC Jamaica celebrated its tenth anniversary at the Terra Nova All Suite Hotel, and the occasion became more than an awards ceremony. It was a celebration of progress, a recognition of excellence, and a powerful reminder of how far women have come in one of the world's most traditionally male-dominated industries.

The women honoured represented different generations, different disciplines and different stages of their careers. Yet together, they told a single story: one of barriers broken, opportunities created and leadership that continues to reshape Jamaica's maritime sector.

The honourees included Board Chair, Corah Ann Robertson-Sylvester, who was the recipient of the Excellence in Maritime Leadership Award.

"This year's awards are a powerful affirmation of the excellence and leadership of Jamaica's women in maritime," said WiMAC Jamaica President Valrie Campbell.

Representatives of the Jamaica Ship Registry, Bertrand Smith, Director General; Captain Steven Spence, Surveyor General; and Seymour Harley, Registrar General, undertook an official visit to China to strengthen marketing and business development efforts on behalf of the Jamaica Ship Registry.

Pictured: Bertrand Smith with Tang Shujia, Deputy Registrar for the JSR in China, ahead of a presentation to an audience of 30 ship owners and prospective ship owners on the work of the Maritime Authority of Jamaica, which administers the Jamaica Ship Registry, delivered jointly by the three delegates.

Jamaica continues to be regarded as a quality flag with a strong reputation under Port State Control regimes, including the Tokyo Memorandum of Understanding and the United States Coast Guard, where it is on the Qualship 21 programme. With the Jamaica Ship Registry’s improved performance within the Tokyo MoU inspection regime, China presents significant potential for increased ship registrations under the Jamaican flag in 2026.

The visit provided long-requested, on-the-ground support to the Deputy Registrar in China and reinforced JSR’s commitment to expanding its presence within the Chinese maritime market.

Meet us at the upcoming dates/locations in the 2026 series of TPDCo's Licensing Expos, under the theme “Tourism Rebound & Rebuild.”

Team will be at these expos to meet with maritime industry stakeholders including boaters, who will be able to register their vessels, schedule inspections and have their maritime-related queries handled by our expert team✅

The upcoming dates:
July 14 – Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, Kingston
September 24, Falmouth Cruise Pier, Trelawny
October 8 – The Boardwalk Village Negril, Westmoreland
November 3 – Bred’s Sports Complex, Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth

Treat the pro­tec­tion of the oceans as a per­sonal respons­ib­il­ity - Ber­trand Smith, Dir­ector Gen­eral of the Mari­time Author­ity of Jamaica

Treat the pro­tec­tion of the oceans as a per­sonal respons­ib­il­ity | Jamaica Gleaner EVERY YEAR on June 8, the world pauses to observe World Ocean Day. This year, the United Nations has given us a theme that is both a chal­lenge and a call to action: Reima­gine. Reima­gine asks us to look at the ocean dif­fer­ently—mov­ing from...

Ten years on - Jamaica's women in maritime are no longer waiting for a seat at the table. An update on the Women in Maritime Association Caribbean (WiMAC) Jamaica Chapter's recent celebration of its tenth anniversary at the Terra Nova All Suite Hotel.

Ten years on - Jamaica's women in maritime are no longer waiting for a seat at the table For much of maritime history, the women helping to keep the industry moving were rarely the ones standing in the spotlight.They coordinated operations, managed logistics, developed policy, mentored young professionals and led organisations through periods of change. Their influence was often substan...

to last month, when Director General, Bertrand Smith, delivered the Opening Remarks at a special ceremony to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Jamaica's membership at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) !

He paused to reflect on Jamaica's maritime journey. From May 11, 1976, when Jamaica lodged its Instrument of Acceptance to the IMO Convention and how that decision has shaped the course of Jamaica's engagement with the global maritime community in ways that continue to resonate today.

Over the past 50 years we can proudly say that Jamaica has built world class maritime infrastructure supported by a modern legislative and institutional framework, all of which have helped to position the country as a leading Maritime State in the region, and a trusted and influential voice at the highest levels in the IMO.

Jamaica, as a member of the IMO Council, will remain committed to the ideals of the IMO, and to ensuring that the interest of the Caribbean and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are represented at the IMO.

We have much to celebrate, and as we prepare to navigate the next 50 years Jamaica will continue to be a trusted partner in ensuring we have a safe, secure and sustainable shipping sector.

Why the IMO matters more than ever for shipping’s next 50 years.

Bertrand Smith, Director General of the Maritime Authority of Jamaica, writes for Splash Maritime and Offshore News:

Why the IMO matters more than ever for shipping’s next 50 years - Splash247 Bertrand Smith, director general of the Maritime Authority of Jamaica, writes for Splash today. Shipping depends on a simple but powerful idea: that a ship can move between nations because those nations have agreed to a common set of rules. Those rules govern safety, security, pollution prevention,....

Team was in attendance at the recent Montego Bay leg of the new 2026 series of Licensing Expos, under the theme “Tourism Rebound & Rebuild.”

As always, we were able to meet with maritime industry stakeholders including boaters, who were able to register their vessels, schedule inspections and have their maritime-related queries handled by our expert team✅

If you’re a maritime stakeholder, you can meet us at the upcoming dates/locations in this TPDCo Licensing Expo series:

July 14 – Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, Kingston
September 24, Falmouth Cruise Pier, Trelawny
October 8 – The Boardwalk Village Negril, Westmoreland
November 3 – Bred’s Sports Complex, Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth

Team representing Jamaica at the ’s 76th session of the Technical Cooperation Committee (TC 76) in London this week (June 8–12, 2026), led by Director General, Bertrand Smith.

TC 76 brings together Member States to advance capacity building and technical assistance across the global maritime sector.