Jamaica Port Authority Revs IT Systems to Handle More Traffic

April 26, 2011 Alex Woodie

The Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) recently signed new multi-year contract to upgrade its computer systems to handle an expected increase in ship traffic in the coming years. The contracts, which are worth about $3 million over three years, include an IBM i-based container terminal control system from the Belgium company Cosmos and a new financial reporting system from California-based Oracle.

The PAJ is upgrading its computer systems to handle an expected increase in traffic as a result of the ongoing widening of the Panama Canal, according to an article in Sunday’s issue of the Jamaica Gleaner. (Here’s the link–jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20110424/business/business3.html–in case you missed it.)

According to the Gleaner’s story, the PAJ has seen a surge in ship traffic over the last five years, as its terminal in Kingston, which handled about 2,200 cargo ships last year, has become the preeminent transshipment terminal in the Caribbean for handling trade between China and North America. The computer upgrade is designed to make the PAJ’s port and shipping business more efficient and competitive as trade and ship traffic increases.

The new contract includes an upgrade to the Cosmos’ Container Terminal System, which handles the movement of all containers in the terminal; tracks the pilotage and harbor fees; generates invoices; and transmits EDI messages. PAJ is paying about $500,000 for use of the software over three years.

PAJ has contracted with a local Kingston company, Port Computer Services (PCS), to provide the IBM i servers on which the Cosmos CTS implementation runs. The contract, which is worth $2.36 million over three years, includes use of two IBM i servers, a server room, and 24/7 technical support. The deal also includes a data replication link between the two servers for disaster recovery purposes.

PAJ has also bought a new financial package from Oracle that includes general ledger, accounts receivables, payables, fixed assets register, and cash management modules. The software, which is implemented on the Oracle database, will cost PAJ about $190,000 over three years, according to the Gleaner’s story.

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