Maritime Momentum: Shaping a Smarter, Greener Future for T&T’s Ports

September 26th, 2025

Trinidad and Tobago’s ports sector has undergone significant evolution and adaptation due to changing trends in global shipping over the past 25 years, according to Adrian Beharry, Assistant Professor of Practice at the Centre for Maritime and Ocean Studies, The University of Trinidad & Tobago (UTT). He explained that the most transformative changes have occurred in the highly competitive container shipping market, fuelled by the introduction of modern container ships, advanced container handling equipment technology, and digital terminal operating systems, as well as the adaptation of marine and port infrastructure and the development of new cargo handling techniques.

“The move from labour-intensive to capital-intensive operating systems has been phenomenal,” Beharry added. This shift has led to exponential gains in operational efficiency, productivity, and cost-effectiveness through the use of semi- and fully automated systems.

Reimagining Ports for Trade Success

Beharry pointed out that in the case of the two major commercial seaports at Port of Spain and Point Lisas, “There is a clear need for a national ports master plan and policy to coordinate and align national development objectives and avoid the financial risk of overinvestment in port infrastructure and facilities.”

In 2023, the Ministry of Trade and Industry* signed a contract with SOGET, a global leader in digital port solutions, to implement, maintain, and support a Port Community System (PCS) for Trinidad and Tobago. This software connects border clearance IT systems across key stakeholders, including customs and excise as well as shipping, enabling ports to operate more competitively and transparently within the global supply chain. This neutral electronic platform integrates standalone digital systems into a single portal, facilitating seamless and more secure, traceable exchanges of electronic data. This, in turn, enhances border control, reduces cargo clearance costs, and shortens delivery times.

Trinidad and Tobago’s location at the southern apex of the Caribbean transhipment triangle gives it a strategic advantage in regional shipping. In 2024, the Port of Spain and Point Lisas ports handled over 200,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of transhipment containers. “There is tremendous potential for the country to be developed into a major transhipment hub, provided the right Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model is implemented, which can attract foreign direct investment and market share,” Beharry explained.

Green Corridors, Global Commitments

As a signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement (2015), Trinidad and Tobago has begun taking concrete steps to align its maritime sector with international climate commitments. In 2023, UTT entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (PATT) to conduct studies, research, and knowledge transfer in support of PATT’s transition to decarbonised shipping and port operations. Similar MOUs have been signed with the Point Lisas Industrial Port Development Corporation Limited (PLIPDECO) and the National Energy Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago Limited, respectively.

UTT’s leadership in these initiatives is further reinforced by its designation as one of five global Maritime Technical Cooperation Centres (MTCCs) established by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). The University is entrusted with capacity building to mitigate climate change in the maritime sector, particularly in developing countries. These centres, established by the IMO and the European Union (EU), serve as regional hubs, providing technical mentorship, professional training, data collection, and regional coordination to promote energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the shipping and port industries.

Beharry predicts that by 2030 and beyond, the maritime industry in Trinidad and Tobago is expected to undergo a significant secular shift as international shipping policy combines innovation and emerging technologies in renewable energy to create a new economic model of green corridors in shipping and ports.

*Editor’s Note: In May 2025, the Ministry of Trade and Industry was renamed the Ministry of Trade, Investment and Tourism.

By Jeanette G. Awai