The Bahamian government has begun enforcing a maritime pilot requirement that makes the service mandatory for all vessels entering the country’s ports, including cruise ships visiting private destinations.
According to a report by The Tribune 242, this new measure was introduced earlier this month and represents a major milestone for the maritime industry in the Bahamas, while adding to costs for cruise lines.
Job Creation and Economic Impact
The enforcement is expected to generate significant employment opportunities across the maritime sector.
Captain Justin Wallace, president of Independent Maritime Services, told the local newspaper that the requirement will foster new jobs in the country.
“Beyond our team, the law has allowed us to hire a large number of employees, from pilots and trainees to pilot boat coxswains and deckhands,” he stated.
“It also affects a wide range of services, from fuel suppliers to marina operators and even airlines transporting staff between islands. The ripple effect of this milestone is significant for the entire maritime ecosystem,” Wallace added.
Currently, some 30 marine pilots are active across the Bahamas, with most based in Freeport. The law is expected to “expand opportunities for apprentices, trainee pilots, and other maritime personnel, allowing the industry to grow in both capacity and skill.”
Not New Law, Just Enforcement
The maritime pilot requirement represents enforcement of existing legislation rather than new law. In an interview with Tribune Business, Captain Yuri Butler, vice president of Bahamas Elite Maritime Company (BEMCO), said that the requirement has always existed in the country’s law.
“It was always on the books. It was always law. The reason it wasn’t enforced is that there weren’t enough qualified pilots at the time, and so the government allowed them to operate as they saw fit so as not to stop the flow of cruise ships into the country and take on that economic cost,” he explained.
The new measure will allow for more job opportunities, having a trickle-down effect on the country’s economy.
“It brings regulation to the industry … pilots are pretty much at the top of the maritime industry, so by increasing pilot jobs, it trickles down, and you need more boat captains and deckhands,” Butler added.
