Kingston Wharf 75th Anniversary

NAME OF FEATURE | THE GLEANER | SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2020 20 In 1945, three pioneering Jamaican busi- nessmen – Luis Fred Kennedy (of Grace Kennedy & Co), Charles Edward Johnston and Captain Sibrandt List (founders of Jamaica Fruit and Shipping, JFS) – were among a group of wharf owners in downtown Kingston who joined forces to start a new port company, Kingston Wharves Ltd (KWL). The company was incorporated with authorised capital of £249,000. Today, Kingston Wharves Limited (KWL) is a multiple award-winning port, one of two public terminals on the port of Kingston, moving bulk, break-bulk and containerised cargo. With connections to over 30 destina- tions in the Caribbean, North America and Latin America, the company, in 2019, reported assets of US$206 million and revenue of J$7.9 billion. Yet KWL’s beginning was a humble one, built and sustained through partner- ships, and bold and courageous leadership throughout the decades. THE AGE OF THE FINGER PIERS Charles Johnston, a KWL director and grandson of one of the founders, gives an account of the port’s early beginnings and its development. “Both companies, Jamaica Fruit & Shipping and GraceKennedy, leased the Grace Building at 64 Harbour Street and the wharf that was attached to it. For years, the two companies operated the wharf to- gether and had their administrative offices there. The building would later house the offices of Jamaica Producers (JP), also an early shareholder. Some years after that, JFS and GraceKennedy bought the wharf and the building on a 50-50 basis.” Though Charles Johnston was only four years old at the time of KWL’s establishment in 1945, the story of the port was passed on to him partly through written history and, in part, through family lore. “In 1945, a number of other wharf owners on the port of Kingston (who were mostly Jamaicans) joined the alliance to become part of Kingston Wharves. Everybody put in their wharves, buildings and assets,” he ex- plained. Those joining the alliance included H. MaCaulay Orrett, George & Branday, and Arnold Malabre. In 1963, the Royal Mail Line Pier was incorporated into KingstonWharves, expanding its facilities to 12 berths. According to Mr Johnston, the wharf operators felt that they would be stronger together to deal with the trade unions and shipping lines. “The unions were picking off each pier owner individually and play- ing each against the other, which created problems on the port of Kingston. When the wharves came together in the alliance under KWL, they had stronger negotiating power. It was the same reason that the Shipping Association of Jamaica was formed,” Mr Johnston noted. In those days, the principals in KWL who were involved in various areas of shipping channelled their business through the port company. Some of the shipping lines that utilised Kingston Wharves were Canadian National Steamship Line, the Canada Jamaica Shipping line, Furness Withy Lines, Grace Line, Royal Mail Line, and, of course, Jamaica Banana Producers Shipping Line, among others,”Mr Johnston said. Other shipping lines calling at Kingston Wharves included New Zealand Shipping Company, Hapag Lloyd, CGT (French Line), Federal Line, Blue Star Line, Hamburg Süd, Jamaica Direct Fruit Line, K Line, Mitsui OSK, YS Line, Sealand, Common Brothers, Harrison Line and Zim. THOSE WHO CONTRIBUTED Kingston Wharves would continue to ex- perience steady and incremental growth at different stages of its history, with each gen- eration of board members, executives and team members making their contribution. Douglas Judahwas KWL’s first chairman and legal adviser whowas active in its original for- mation. Luis Fred Kennedywas the first manag- ing director and later its chairman. Managing directors and chief executive officers who fol- lowed were Carl Gaynier, Bryan Challis, Paul Scott, Mike Belcher, Anthony Barnes, Ernest Girod, Robert Kinlocke, Grantley Stephenson, and now Mark Williams. In 1966, Paul Scott proposed the rationalisation of labour on the waterfront, a definingmove that changed the way labour was engaged and deployed, not just at KWL, but on the entire waterfront. Other persons who contributed signifi- cantly to the growth and development of Kingston Wharves Limited included Everard Cox Sr, Bobby McConnell, Eric Milstead, and the imposing wharfinger MacG Hall. In identifying a number of defining mo- ments in KWL’s history, Mr Johnston said:“The first one was the establishment, when all the wharf companies came together to formKWL; that move was empowering and would pos- itively change the trajectory of the shipping industry in Jamaica.” THE MOVE TO NEWPORT WEST Mr Johnston identified another defining moment as the decision for KWL tomove from downtown to Newport West: “They did so in 1966; which I am not sure was the right deci- sion. They could have renovated the dockside wharves downtown. That would have kept the life in downtown Kingston. Instead, it sucked the life out of downtown Kingston and then the lawyers moved to New Kingston. So downtown Kingston became like a shell and it is just recovering now. KWL also moved to Newport West late. They allowed Western Terminal to beat them down here.” In 1964, KingstonWharves had purchased KINGSTON WHARVES 75TH ANNIVERSARY Captain Sibrandt List, Founder HISTORY CONTINUED FROM 18 Charles Edward Johnston, Founder Luis Fred Kennedy, Founder PLEASE SEE HISTORY , 22 FingerPiers on the Port of Kingston in the 40s Inauguration of Ro-Ro Service at Berth 1 in Newport West in 1966. Courtesy National Library of Ja