Customs Broker Gives Update on Ships That Have Rerouted or Turned Back

Delroy Fairweather, Vice President of the Belize Custom Brokers Association, was also a guest on the morning show. He spoke about the number of ships that have had to return to the U.S. with cargo, as well as the logistical problems that arose when containers are diverted to the only operational port in the country at this time.

Delroy Fairweather

Delroy Fairweather, Vice President, Belize Custom Brokers Association

“The principals, they will look at the number of containers that are onboard to see if it would be feasible to either return to the transshipment point or divert and offload these containers at a next port. The two vessels that have returned, one only had ten containers on board. That was the first vessel that got caught in the strike action and the second vessel had maybe around thirty five to forty containers. That one returned on Saturday, if I am not mistaken. But from there onwards, the other vessels made that decision, which was the type A trailers, that was one of the largest vessels that came in and that went straight to Big Creek .That came in, off loaded, and left. The Carib Mariner, which is one of the most popular vessels which makes weekly sails to Belize that is the direct shipment from Miami, they went ahead and they went down to Big Creek. I think they offloaded yesterday. The Midnight Czar which is a next transshipment vessel from Jamaica that is the one that is currently out at the anchorage in the Belize City harbor and of course the fertilizer.  I want to touch on the fertilizer. This fertilizer vessel, it has to go down to Big Creek. I am not sure if the owners have made any decision on that as yet. The transportation cost will definitely be a factor on that because you are looking now at a two and a half hour trip. This is actually bulk cargo, and bulk cargo is a lot more sensitive that containerized cargo.”