From as early as the 1960's, several studies have been carried out which focus on the impact of development and the changing ecological conditions of Kingston Harbour. Many proposals have been presented for remedial actions and the sustainable management and rehabilitation of the Harbour. However, little progress has been made towards the execution of plans to address the deteriorating conditions.
In February 2022, The Ocean Cleanup in collaboration with The GraceKennedy Foundation (GKF), and Clean Harbours Jamaica (CHJ) Limited, implemented a pilot project to prevent solid waste from flowing into Kingston Harbour. Waste-trapping technology will be installed at the mouths of 11 gullies that feed into the Harbour. This effort is expected to eventually extract an estimated 900 metric tons of waste a year.
Debris trapped by the technology is removed by The Ocean Cleanup’s small barge, known as the Interceptor™ Tender, and transported to an offloading site for sorting and disposal.
Beach cleanups and other outreach activities support this work by raising awareness about the pollution problem facing the Harbour.
The initial funding for The Kingston Harbour Cleanup Project is provided by the The Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory.
10 M. Webber, W. Henry, T. Christian. Clean Kingston Harbour: Pipe Dream or Pot of Gold?. GraceKennedy Foundation. 2019.
The Kingston Harbour is connected to the entire city of Kingston by means of its complex drainage network. The project is focused on eleven major drainage canals, known locally as gullies, that feed into the Harbour. These gullies were designed to rapidly remove storm water and prevent flooding, however, they have now become a major source of pollution and degradation of the Harbour.11 Together these gullies emit an estimated 947,000 kg of plastic into the Caribbean Sea every year.
Seven Interceptors have now been deployed in Kingston, completing the first phase of the project. In 2024, additional Interceptors will arrive in Kingston, this time focusing on Hunts Bay, and all aimed at enabling the transformation of the city’s waterways while reducing plastic emissions into the Caribbean Sea.
11 https://theoceancleanup.com/updates/expanding-the-interceptor-family/
Interceptor 014 was deployed at Shoemaker Gully in late 2023.
Interceptor 013 was deployed at Mountain View Gully in late 2023.
D’Aguilar Gully is situated in the eastern part of Kingston and flows through the urban area, eventually emptying into the Kingston Harbour next to the KHCP's Offloading Site. An Interceptor 012 was deployed at D’Aguilar Gully in July 2023.
Tivoli Gardens, a community located in West Kingston, is known for its vibrant culture and for producing many influential figures in Jamaican music and sports.
Interceptor 011 was deployed at Tivoli Gully in late 2021 and has intercepted a significant amount trash to date.
Located adjacent to the Rae Town fishing village, one of the major fishing villages within the Harbour, waste in Rae Town Gully flushes into the Harbour, washes up onto beaches and negatively affects fishing and recreational activities. Interceptor 008 was deployed at Rae Town Gully in early 2022.
Interceptor 010 was deployed at Barnes Gully in early 2022. Barnes Gully is one of the largest of the gullies within the pilot, with a 30-metre-wide opening. It also has one of the largest feeder areas (approximately 6.48km) of the gullies that flow into the Harbour.13 In addition to municipal waste, malodorous raw sewage from broken pipes has been known to flow through the gully.14
13 M. Webber, W. Henry, T. Christian. Clean Kingston Harbour: Pipe Dream or Pot of Gold?. GraceKennedy Foundation. 2019.
14 https://theoceancleanup.com/updates/expanding-the-interceptor-family/
The Kingston Pen gully is located adjacent to the Port Authority of Jamaica. At eight metres wide, Kingston Pen is one of the smallest of the gullies in the pilot. During rainfall, waste flows down this gully and instantly backwashes onto the adjacent beach. 12
12 https://theoceancleanup.com/updates/expanding-the-interceptor-family/
Want to become a volunteer?
GraceKennedy Foundation frequently hosts beach cleanup at critical sections of the Kingston Harbour. Follow GraceKennedy Foundation’s Eventbrite page to register and stay informed about the date and location of the next cleanup.
Click below for a few resources to help you learn more about Kingston Harbour and the Kingston Harbour Cleanup Project.
Join us on our mission to reduce the pollution of Kingston Harbour.
Contact us for more information on how to participate.
