The Ministry of Planning, Lands, Agriculture, Housing & Infrastructure (MPLAHI), alongside the Port Authority of the Cayman Islands (PACI) successfully coordinated a specialised offshore ship-to-barge transfer on Monday, 17 August, to transport a new MAN HX60 logistics vehicle into Grand Cayman for the Cayman Islands Regiment. Manufactured by Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV), the vehicle was safely transferred through an operation demonstrating significant technical expertise, operational flexibility and marine coordination.
The operation involved the British-registered roll-on/roll-off cargo vessel MV Eddystone, which arrived off Grand Cayman at approximately 7:56 a.m. Measuring 193 metres (633 feet) in length with an operating draught of up to 7.4 metres (24.3 feet), the vessel’s draught and length overall (LOA) exceeded the water depths available at local shore-side berthing facilities. To overcome this challenge, PACI planned and executed an offshore transfer, safely offloading the equipment onto a third party owned and operated barge for transport into the port. Hon. Johany “Jay” Ebanks, Minister for Planning, Lands, Agriculture, Housing & Infrastructure, was on site alongside Port Authority Deputy Director Brevon Elliott. Facilitated by Harbour Patrol Officers Scott Hydes and Keiron Ebanks, the delegation inspected the lightering process directly from a patrol vessel.
Minister Ebanks highlighted the importance of the Port’s infrastructure, personnel and operational capabilities in supporting the movement of specialised cargo into the Cayman Islands. “Operations such as this demonstrate the important role our Port plays beyond the movement of everyday cargo. It is part of the essential infrastructure that enables Government agencies to receive the equipment and resources required to serve our Islands. I was pleased to see the professionally executed coordination of the offloading of the special cargo first-hand and to recognise the highly skilled teams who ensured this important asset was offloaded safely and efficiently” Port Authority Deputy Director Brevon Elliott highlighted the planning and technical coordination required to safely complete the operation. “Executing an offshore ship-to-barge specialized transfer with a vessel of the MV Eddystone’s scale requires meticulous marine planning and execution.
Our harbour patrol pilot, crews and safety personnel demonstrated exceptional coordination to execute this transfer seamlessly in open water while protecting our coastal waters and marine environment.” The operation required precise coordination between vessel crews, marine personnel, and Port teams. With the MV Eddystone anchored offshore, the cargo was safely transferred to a waiting barge and transported into port without disrupting normal commercial operations.
This successful delivery highlights PACI’s operational agility and technical expertise when conventional berthing is not an option. It also underscores the critical role of experienced personnel and flexible planning in meeting the infrastructure and supply needs of the Cayman Islands. Moving forward, this operation serves as a practical model for using offshore transfer methods to import oversized equipment and specialized cargo that exceed local port dimensions.