The Ministry of Transport and Local Government has placed significant emphasis and focused attention on port security which is evidenced by the establishment of the International Ship and Port Security (ISPS) Compliance Unit on 22 October, 2019 within the Port Department; In addition to the reconvening in April of this year of the Port Security Advisory Committee (PSAC), a Committee which has been dormant for the last three years.

The ISPS Unit is fully functional and charged with the regulatory oversight of the compliance requirement for all international port and ship facilities throughout the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.

The ministry, being cognizant that as a consequence of the devastating impact of Hurricane Dorian in 2019, the Marsh Harbour Port in Abaco, was completely destroyed; and too, in an effort to provide a secure and efficient port, wishes to advise that the Government is considering a Public Private Partnership (PPP) to effect the rebuilding and management of this port.

The Ministry of Transport and Local Government in conjunction with the Disaster Reconstruction Authority (DRA) has formed a joint committee which is in the process of formulating plans for the issuance of a Public Private Partnership for the re-building of the Marsh Harbour Port; the details of which will be forthcoming.