Jamaica’s Century-Old Shipping Dynasty

Leading family-owned shipping empire adapts to an ever changing Caribbean logistics sector

With an impressive history that dates back to its establishment in 1919 as a humble banana exporter, Jamaica Fruit and Shipping Company has evolved into a shipping powerhouse spanning four generations. With Sue-Ann Johnston, the company’s current CEO, now at the helm, this marks the first time in the company’s history that a woman has led the renowned family enterprise.

Johnston represents the fourth generation of family leadership. Established by her great-grandfather Charles Edward Johnston and Capt. Sibrandt D. List, Jamaica Fruit and Shipping Company has adapted to meet current Caribbean logistic demands. “We are diversifying now,” she explains, noting how the company has expanded beyond its agricultural roots while maintaining its core family values.  

Today, both companies are chaired by Charles Henry Johnston, grandson of Charles Edward Johnston.  In addition to his role as Chairman of these two companies Johnston also sits on the board of a number of other companies including that of German Ship Repair Jamaica Ltd (GSRJ), operators of Jamaica’s first Floating Dock.  The arrival of the floating dock in August 2023 signaled the realization of a 20 year old dream of Charles Johnston.  Since then, the GSRJ Shipyard has successfully worked on several commercial vessels, including container ships, tankers, ro-ro and offshore vessels.

The transformation from banana exporter to shipping conglomerate began taking shape in 1976 when Jamaica Freight and Shipping emerged from a strategic merger between Jamaica Fruit & Shipping Co. Ltd and the shipping division of Sprostons (Jamaica) Ltd – Aluminum Company of Canada (Alcan). The growth of the company has been quite impressive over the years and it now enjoys international recognition as it continues to look outward to meet potential global demand.

The company’s growth and diversification over the decades has also helped to solidify  its leading role in the Caribbean. With international access, Jamaica Freight and Shipping, under its parent company, continues to expand and welcome new initiatives as we head towards the third quarter of 2025.

Full-Service Shipping Operations

Jamaica Freight and Shipping’s portfolio is extensive.  “We represent large ocean carriers, such as COSCO Shipping, Orient Overseas Container Lines (OOCL), MOL Ace plus NVO’s like JP Logistics Solutions,”Anna Hamilton, CEO of Jamaica Freight and Shipping, states. “We are also vessel agents in Kingston for Seaboard Jamaica handling all husbandry matters for their vessel calls.

The company’s strategic positioning extends beyond carrier representation. “We are exclusive port agents at Port Esquivel, which is the port of UC Rusal Alumina Jamaica Ltd. (Windalco),” Hamilton explains. “We are also exclusive agents at Bowden Wharf. They’re not very active right now, but that was a big port area for the export of bananas.”

Port Esquivel’s significance has grown as Jamaica handles increasing volumes of bulk cargo. The facility complements Kingston’s container operations, where 2,530 vessels move through annually, handling 16.2 million tons of cargo. Hamilton sees opportunity in this diversification. 

“We’re looking to see how we can target more of that kind of business,” she says.

The company also provides vessel husbandry services through its operations department, supporting ships that dock at Jamaica’s 17 cargo ports. Hamilton notes that Jamaica Freight and Shipping is perfectly positioned to capitalize on the growth of shipping and logistics in the region and has the capacity to offer comprehensive services that cover cargo handling and vessel support while continuously adapting to an industry focused on digital transformation and operational efficiency.

From Pandemic Growth to Modern Challenges

The COVID-19 pandemic produced unexpected results for Jamaica’s shipping sector. “What was surprising is that most companies in the shipping industry saw significant growth during the pandemic,” Hamilton reflects. “They saw growth because of the congestion that was being experienced. The freight rates were astronomical.” Container freight rates surged over 300% year-on-year in 2021, fundamentally reshaping industry economics.

Post-pandemic dynamics present different challenges. “The freight rates have reduced, but the volumes have increased, and Jamaica has become more of a transshipment hub today than we were pre-pandemic,” Hamilton explains. 

“It’s been constant growth, and that has helped us because the carriers that we represent use Jamaica as a transshipment hub.” With 90% of Kingston’s port traffic serving transshipment needs, this positioning proves strategic as global container volumes maintained 7% growth through mid-2024.

“We’re currently in the process of upgrading our internal software platform that we use for customer interface and interface with the terminals and the ports,” Hamilton reveals. “We use a local platform called Advantum Agent. We should be launching the new and improved platform by the end of the second quarter into the third quarter.” Digital transformation remains critical as the industry adopts blockchain and AI technologies to enhance efficiency.

Industry Success Driven by A Committed Team

With the demands of the logistics sector and use of emerging technology within the sector, Jamaica Freight and Shipping is focused on ensuring its team can meet any challenges that come up and is firmly committed to its customer-base. The company is also very proud of its dynamic, female-led team. “We have a pretty young team here. Surprisingly, most of the team members are female,” Hamilton reveals. 

The company’s approach to retention has also created remarkable stability. “Although the majority of the staff is young currently, we do not have a very high turnover of staff,” Hamilton emphasizes. 

“People who have been with the company for many years are still here. We have a number of people who have been with the company for upwards of 25 years.” This longevity matters in an industry where institutional knowledge drives operational excellence, Hamilton points out.

Both Jamaica Freight and Shipping and Jamaica Fruit and Shipping maintain a distinctly local focus in their hiring practices, though they remain flexible. “We hire local, not that we would be averse to hiring outside of local, but that has not presented itself recently,” Hamilton states. 

The culture emphasizes continuous improvement and customer service. “The effort is put on trying to delight the customer at all levels as much as we can,” Hamilton explains. 

“We’re always looking to innovate and trying to find ways to train the staff to ensure that the staff keeps as up to date as possible with what is happening.” This philosophy, the companies believe, proves to be essential as digital transformation reshapes shipping, with technologies like blockchain and AI impacting the industry.

Women Leading in Maritime Business

Sue-Ann Johnston’s appointment marks a watershed moment in Jamaica Fruit and Shipping’s century-long history. “I’m the first woman,” she states simply, acknowledging her groundbreaking role as CEO. 

The significance isn’t just about family succession—women remain underrepresented in global shipping leadership, making her position noteworthy in an industry where female executives hold less than 2% of senior maritime roles worldwide.

Hamilton’s journey illustrates the magnetic pull of the shipping industry. “I entered the industry some years ago in sales. I remember someone saying to me early on, ‘You will either fall in love with shipping, or you will hate it so much that you will leave and never come back,'” she recalls. 

After seven years, she did leave, but the industry’s grasp on her was too strong to ignore. “Even though I was gone, I was never really gone. I was always trying to find out what was happening in the industry.”

Johnston is very complementary towards Hamilton’s work with Jamaica Freight. “She’s doing a great job. She’s had to hold her own,” Johnston observes. “She’s in a very male-dominant industry.” This mutual support between the two female CEOs creates a powerful dynamic in Jamaica’s shipping sector, where women increasingly drive innovation and growth.

Strategic Vision Amid Global Uncertainties

Hamilton is first to admit that along with continued growth, there are challenges ahead that face the shipping industry.

“Congestion is one issue that ports in the region and globally are all facing, ” Hamilton clarifies. “It does affect us because vessels then end up bypassing.” Regional ports face similar pressures. 

Recent regulations may offer potential relief, Hamilton suggests. “We are governed by the local customs act, which is being reviewed and revised. A new customs act was recently tabled in parliament.” 

“Hopefully that will assist in modernizing our industry.” Government initiatives like the Global Logistics Hub Initiative aim to transform Jamaica into a logistics powerhouse. 

Hamilton and Johnston are also keeping their eye on other shipping and logistic trends. 

“Amazon is coming into Jamaica or is in Jamaica—we’re not sure at what level,” Hamilton reveals. “Most  players in the shipping industry are somewhat cautious about the entry of that giant into our small market.” E-commerce giants reshape logistics globally, with online sales reaching $6.3 trillion in 2024, fundamentally altering traditional shipping models.

Looking ahead, Jamaica Freight is firmly focused on putting mechanisms in place to ensure further success. “We’re looking to get more customers on board,” Hamilton states. “We are looking at how we can target more bulk business and expand our logistics arm.”

After more than a century sailing Caribbean waters, Jamaica Fruit and Shipping Company and its subsidiary Jamaica Freight continue adapting to shifting tides. With women at the helm of both companies and strategic investments in technology and people, they position themselves to capture opportunities in an industry where change remains the only constant.

At a Glance

Who: Jamaica Freight & Shipping Company Limited

What: Full-service shipping agency and logistics provider representing major carriers and NVO’s including COSCO Shipping, OOCL, MOL and JP Logistics Solutions; vessel agents for Seaboard Jamaica and ; exclusive port agents at Port Esquivel and Bowden Wharf

Where: Kingston, Jamaica

Website: www.jashipco.com

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