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March 2015
| Business World
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The Department of Marine and Ports Servic-
es is a government agency dedicated to over-
seeing marine affairs in Bermuda. They are
responsible for the safe movement of both
international shipping and the operation of
commercial and recreational boat traffic in
local waters.
In order to live up to that responsibility, the
Department contributes significantly to the
public transportation system through the
operation of the Ferry Service. They also ad-
minister and manage port operations includ-
ing Pilotage, Tug and Line Boat assistance
and the maintenance of all marine Aids to
Navigation numbering some 188 in 65 miles
of channel. Their other areas of operational
responsibility include, but are not limited to,
salvage work, boat and mooring registration,
oil spill response, offshore marine search and
rescue and seaport security.
Lieutenant Commander Richard Russell
is the Director of Marine and Ports, a role
which he officially commenced in July 2014.
He is a former Officer of the Jamaican Coast
Guard, and comes from a long and acclaimed
career in the maritime industry worldwide.
During his time in the Coast Guard, for ex-
ample, he also served as the Jamaican repre-
sentative to the International Maritime Or-
ganisation Marine Environment Protection
Committee.
Previous to that, CDR Russell worked at
the Jamaican Maritime Authority and dur-
ing his tenure was instrumental in the es-
tablishment of Jamaica’s Port State Control