Mission

The Port Department is committed to excellence by providing quality services to its customers, regulating all maritime and environmental issues within the Port, and providing training and career development opportunities for its staff.

Departments

The Port Department purpose is to ensure that the safety of visitor's and residents of the Bahamas is at the top level.  With approximately  nine (9) lighthouses within the Bahamas, including New Providence,  the oldest and very first lighthouse built was the “Hole in The Wall” which is located in  the southern end of Abaco.  The name “Hole in the Wall  refers to a limestone arch at land’s end near the lighthouse.  It is a stone built tower and is painted red with the lower thirds painted white.  This lighthouse is currently closed but the site is open for tourists and can be accessed by boat or land.

The Port Department is responsible for enforcing strict safety measures and conducting timely inspections on all vessels licensed with the Port. The Department is a government agency with vast and diversified duties and responsibilities, and falls under the purview of the Ministry of Transport and Aviation. There are three areas to which the Port has a direct relationship within The Bahamas.

• Domestic Trade – The Bahamas is dependent upon a network of domestic shipping and port facilities for the transportation of passengers, mail and various goods and supplies among its many islands. The inspection, certification, and regulation of the officers, crews, and vessels engaged in The Bahamas’ domestic trade has been the responsibility of the Port Department, under the Ministry of Transport and Aviation.
• Ocean-going Vessels Trading to and from The Bahamas – Nassau and Freeport are important ports-of-call for foreign-flagged international ocean-going passenger and merchant vessels.  Other ports among the Islands are also rapidly achieving greater prominence as international ports-of-call. The Bahamas provides services and port facilities to these internationally trading vessels and will be called upon increasingly to do so. The Bahamas also carries out the inspection (under the aegis of The Bahamas Maritime Authority and Port Department) of certain of these foreign flagged vessels calling in The Bahamas pursuant to The Bahamas’ status as a Port State, and as signatory to various international agreements and conventions.
• Legislation and Regulation – various laws and regulations govern the registration, inspection, certification, and regulation of domestic Bahamian shipping, and of international Bahamas-flagged shipping, both respectively and collectively. The body of applicable Bahamian law and regulation has grown over many years, and is reviewed regularly to assure its consistency and relevance, clarify responsibility and close any gaps in coverage.

Office contacts

New Providence Offices
East Bay Street Shopping Plaza
P.O. Box N-8175
Nassau, New Providence
The Bahamas
Tel. (242) 302-0200

Dock Master’s Office
Potter’s Cay
Nassau, New Providence
The Bahamas
Tel. (242) 393-1064
Fax. (242) 394-1240

Grand Bahama Office
P.O. Box F 2044
Freeport, Grand Bahama
The Bahamas
Tel. (242) 352-9163
Fax.(242) 351-4538

Abaco Office
P.O. Box Ab 20922
Marsh Harbour, Abaco
The Bahamas
Tel. (242) 367-0038
Fax.(242) 367-0041