MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Taxing foreign ships suggested at Caribbean Maritime University

The institution gained university status in 2017

Applying a so-called blue tax to all foreign cruise lines and foreign shippers using Caribbean ports was suggested during a conference at the Caribbean Maritime University last week by Former Trinidad and Tobago minister Devant Maharaj. The funds would be allocated to Caricom's efforts to protect marine ecosystems from pollution.

Maharaj cited alarming figures, stating that 795,000 tonnes of raw sewage and eight tonnes of raw garbage are dumped weekly into the ocean, with 85% of untreated sewage coming from cruise liners. The proponent insisted the funds must go to a centralized Caricom account, not individual islands, to ensure the money is specifically used for marine protection rather than being diverted to other projects.

Logistics strategist Dr. Eric Deans highlighted that the Caribbean Basin controls 20% of global shipping tonnage through “flags of convenience,” giving the region significant leverage to enforce sustainable practices. He warned, however, that the region often surrenders this power by ceding control of ports to foreign operators.

Experts noted that existing port concessions, such as the Kingston Freeport Terminal in Jamaica, often lack specific clauses on sustainability, meaning private companies prioritize profit over environmental care unless mandated.

Maharaj, who served both as Minister of Transport and later as Minister of Food Production, also argued that the deeper issue is the Caribbean's tendency to “act as silos,” adopting global conventions like those from the IMO, but failing to unite to set their own strong standards for the rest of the world to follow.

The discussion concluded with a call for a wider definition of sustainability that includes environmental, social, and economic components, arguing that true sustainability will only be achieved with economic self-sufficiency.

Despite the policy and political shortcomings, the discussion noted that some private companies, like Campari Group Jamaica, are embedding ESG (environmental, social, and governance) practices into their procurement rules, using their scale to influence carrier operations.

The Kingston, Jamaica-based Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) is the premier tertiary institution for maritime education, training, research, and consultancy in the Western Hemisphere. Based in Jamaica, the university plays a vital role in developing skilled professionals for the maritime, logistics, and supply chain sectors across the Caribbean and globally.

It was established in 1980 through a joint project between the Governments of Jamaica and the Kingdom of Norway. It began as the Jamaica Maritime Training Institute, was later rebranded as the Caribbean Maritime Institute, and finally gained university status to become CMU in 2017.