The Perspective Development of Maritime Activities in a Small Island State: The Case of the Republic of Haiti
- Haiti's maritime administration is described as inadequate, with outdated legislation, functions spread over several ministries and a shortage of trained marine officers and training facilities.
- SEMANAH holds responsibility for sea transport matters, while the APN supervises port activity in Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haïtien and controls the other ports through its coastal trade department.
- Container traffic at Port-au-Prince grew from zero in 1970, when Sea-Land introduced container services, to 6,579 containers in 1974 and 37,122 in 1984.
- A national merchant fleet could cut freight paid to foreign carriers, but needs feasibility studies and capital, with joint ventures presented as the most flexible financing option.
- Ocean resources in the exclusive economic zone require a national management system, with maritime affairs, agriculture and mining ministries working together.
Chapter I sets out the problems of Haiti's maritime administration: outdated legislation, functions spread across several ministries, little involvement in international standard-setting, and a shortage of trained marine officers and training facilities. It describes the two existing bodies, the Service Maritime et de Navigation d'Haïti (SEMANAH) and the Autorité Portuaire Nationale (APN), and presents container and cargo traffic at Port-au-Prince. Chapter II examines Haiti's foreign trade and balance of payments, the case for a national merchant fleet, the UNCTAD Liner Code, regional cooperation and Haiti's position under the Law of the Sea.
Chapter III uses the Netherlands as a model and proposes a Haitian maritime administration covering legislation, ship registration, surveys and inspections, safety, training, seafarers, contingency planning and casualty investigation. The conclusions argue that any investment in national-flag shipping must follow feasibility studies and form part of trade and economic strategy, with joint ventures as the most flexible financing route, and that ocean resources in the exclusive economic zone require a national management system under the Law of the Sea conventions. Annexes reproduce Law of the Sea articles, Liner Code excerpts and lists of conventions.
How to cite
World Maritime University (WMU), 1985, The Perspective Development of Maritime Activities in a Small Island State: The Case of the Republic of Haiti, https://haiti-maritime.org/biblio/perspective-development-of-maritime-activities-in-a-small-island-state-the-case-of-the-republic-of-haiti/
- Rights holder
- Marie Carmel Oscar