Connecting Caribbean Youth with Educational and Professional opportunities in the Blue Economy (A webinar series)
Series runs from August – October 2020
Offering a full-tuition maritime scholarship (free application)
Click HERE to register for the webinars.
August 19, 2020, 10a to 11a Eastern Caribbean Time
Crossroads to the World: The Caribbean maritime tradition in the context of the global shipping industry
Presenter: Capt. Remy Vyzelman Pres/Founder, Intergra Marine & Freight Services/DP World Suriname
The development of ports as a collection of multiple wharves in a confined area began in the early 13th century, driven mainly by trade between European ports. The principal trade route was between Continental Europe and England. The Caribbean has played a role in facilitating the innovation of containerization, which transformed the shipping industry. Notably, the region is among the most traveled route for cruise and cargo shipping globally. The region has increased in its importance with the expansion of the Panama Canal.
September 9, 2020, 10a to 11a Eastern Caribbean Time
What’s in a Box: The development of container shipping and its impact on the Caribbean
Presenter: Rick Murrell, Chairman (Retired) Tropical Shipping
In the evolution of global transport, containerization proved to be one of the great technical innovations of the second half of the 20th century. The novelty in this case was the introduction of boxes, i.e. containers with a standard dimension used to package transported goods, thereby allowing their unrestricted utilization whatever the means of transport—sea, road, or rail. First used on the east coast of the United States, this maritime revolution was initially put to the test and then developed in the Caribbean basin. This technical advance, representing today an essential vector of globalization, would not be adopted anywhere near as quickly across the Caribbean basin.
September 23, 2020, 10a to 11a Eastern Caribbean Time
Phoenix Rising! The cruise industry’s importance and potential for the Caribbean
Presenter: Michael Bayley President & CEO, Royal Caribbean International
Cruise tourism has become a big business, with the Caribbean now accounting for more than 35% of all such vacations globally. In 2019, more ships sailed in or through Caribbean waters than in any other part of the world, with many of the one hundred plus new vessels under construction destined to do the same. Statistics produced by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) show that there were 29.2m cruise ship arrivals into the Caribbean in 2018, a figure roughly equal to the 30.2m long stay visitors who came by air to stay in hotels and other onshore facilities. Cruise operators are investing in local infrastructure to encourage travel and protect the environment to ensure that these stunning destinations are maintained for generations to come.
October 7, 2020, 10a to 11a Eastern Caribbean Time
Our Future: Our Seas: Caribbean environmental issues, regulations, and compliance
Presenter: Rick Sasso, Chairman, MSC Cruises USA
The strength of the Caribbean maritime industry depends heavily on the successful implementation of international regulations. Caribbean countries are bordered by the Caribbean Sea and most are island States to do the vast majority of trade by sea. The ‘Blue Economy’ both locally and globally, depends on a well-regulated maritime transportation system. Our economies are so linked to the maritime domain that we must have in place comprehensive strategies, legislation and practice to provide for the sustainable use of the seas as a transportation corridor, for exploitation and extraction of resources in a carefully managed way. Such shipping must set safety and environmental standards consistent not only with our own situation, but also circumscribed by the international standards promulgated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
October 21, 2020, 10a to 11a Eastern Caribbean Time
Gangway to the World: Caribbean maritime training, technology, and opportunities for our youth
Presenter: Juan Carlos Croston, President, Caribbean American Shipping Association
Almost 90 percent of everything we buy arrives via ship”, writes Rose George in her book, Ninety Percent of Everything. Others describe the shipping industry as “the biggest business you know nothing about”, regarding it as what fueled globalization. Careers and jobs in the industry encompass a wide gamut, from entertainment to engineering, stevedores to maritime lawyers. Training for these positions reflect the range of positions which are tenable anywhere in the globe. The Caribbean is home to world class, internationally standardized ISO 9001:2008 certification and training.