For an industry built on connectivity, the Caribbean still faces a familiar challenge: moving cargo efficiently between islands and into global markets.
It is against that backdrop that global neutral non-vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC) Shipco Transport has announced the opening of a new office in Bridgetown, Barbados, marking another step in its growing Caribbean footprint and reinforcing the region’s increasing importance in international trade.
The new office will provide freight forwarders and customs brokers with access to Shipco’s ocean less-than-container load, full container load and airfreight services, while creating additional routing options across the region. The company says the expansion is intended to improve regional connectivity and provide more direct support to customers in the Eastern Caribbean.
Rachel Matthews, Caribbean General Manager
The move is particularly relevant to Jamaica, which already serves as the home of Shipco’s Caribbean regional operations under Caribbean General Manager Rachel Matthews. Over the past six years, the company has established a network that includes Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Puerto Rico and now Barbados, positioning Kingston as an important hub in its regional growth strategy.
For Jamaica’s logistics sector, the expansion highlights a broader trend taking shape across the Caribbean. International logistics companies are increasingly viewing the region not as a collection of small, disconnected markets, but as an integrated network of trade corridors that can support greater cargo flows and new business opportunities.
Barbados’ strategic location in the Eastern Caribbean and ongoing investment in the Port of Bridgetown were among the factors influencing Shipco’s decision. The island is currently undertaking a US$213.5 million port expansion project aimed at strengthening its role in regional cargo movement and improving connectivity to major trade lanes.
The announcement also comes as Shipco continues to deepen its investment in the Caribbean market. The company, which operates more than 90 offices in over 30 countries, has previously indicated plans to expand its less-than-container load services and develop additional direct consolidation routes across the region.
For Jamaica, the message is clear: as global logistics players continue to invest in regional networks, the country’s position as one of the Caribbean’s leading maritime and logistics centres gives it an increasingly important role in shaping how trade moves throughout the region.