Customs Sets Deadline for Montego Bay Cargo
- Importers and brokers must clear accumulated cargo at Montego Bay Port Warehouse by month-end. - Jamaica Customs Agency targets congestion from long-uncollected shipments. - The measure addresses ongoing port delays affecting trade operations. iriefm.net
Importers, consignees and customs brokers have until April 30 to clear cargo sitting at Montego Bay Port Warehouse facilities in St. James, as Jamaica Customs moves to cut a growing backlog. (iriefm.net) The Jamaica Customs Agency said uncollected shipments have built up for extended periods and are now limiting the port’s ability to process new cargo efficiently. Senior Public Relations Officer Nikel Innerarity said the congestion is affecting the wider trading community. (jamaica-gleaner.com) The deadline applies to cargo stored at warehouse facilities in the Montego Bay Freeport area, with Customs urging clients to act “immediately” before the end of April. The agency framed the move as an operational step to free space for incoming shipments. (jamaica-gleaner.com) Port congestion in Jamaica has been building for months, not days. In January, the Jamaica Observer reported that uncollected goods were still clogging ports and cargo warehouses weeks after the usual Christmas shipping rush had passed. (jamaicaobserver.com) That pileup reaches beyond one warehouse. Industry reports in early 2026 said delays were raising storage pressure and slowing cargo movement across the maritime sector, even after the seasonal import surge normally eases by mid-January. (jamports.com) Customs already has a formal path for goods that sit too long: Queen’s Warehouse auctions. The agency’s auction portal shows general cargo sale listings posted in April 2026, a sign that Customs is still processing long-idle shipments through disposal channels as well as clearance drives. (jca.gov.jm) Montego Bay’s Freeport is also a sensitive enforcement point, not just a commercial one. Jamaica Customs and police have previously announced major firearms seizures tied to warehouse and wharf operations in St. James, adding security pressure to the need for faster cargo turnover. (iriefm.net) For now, the agency’s message is narrower than a system overhaul: remove the cargo already sitting in Montego Bay by April 30, and make room for the next wave of shipments. (iriefm.net)
