The East Caribbean Group of Companies (ECGC), the OECS’ biggest exporter of Flour, Rice and Animal Feeds, today celebrated the arrival of its largest grain vessel in 22 years at the Campden Park port. The impressive 600 ft long vessel, carrying a substantial cargo of wheat, corn, and soya, is currently docked at the ECGC port, marking a significant milestone in the company’s commitment to regional food security.Better economics of large ships strengthen OECS food security.This groundbreaking ship size, at 600 feet in length, was facilitated with vessel owners United Bulk Carriers (UBC), and is monumental for the OECS, underscoring ECGC’s ongoing transformation. By securing larger shipments and sharing grain vessels with other producers in the region, ECGC is further strengthening supply reliability, and price stability for its flour and feed customers in the OECS region.”This is a proud moment for UBC,” said Amr Mostafa, President of United Bulk Carriers (UBC,)who is in St. Vincent & the Grenadines where he visited the ECGC Port. “Facilitating the efficient transport of essential grains plays a crucial role in strengthening regional food security. We are committed to working with partners like ECGC to optimize shipping efficiencies and contribute to stable and affordable food supplies.”ECGC CEO, J. Robert Cato, echoed this sentiment, stating, “We are proactive in ensuring food security in the OECS. By leveraging larger vessels, we optimize our supply chain andultimately contribute to consistent availability and affordable food prices for our customers.”ECGC sources premium wheat, soya and corn from the USA, which is shipped to the company’s port facility in Campden Park. The vessel docked at the ECGC port has a capacity of 38,000 metric tons of grain.Further strengthening its commitment to regional food security, ECGC also announced it is considering significant storage investments in St. Kitts & Nevis, Antigua Barbuda, St. Lucia and Dominica. These investments include expanding warehouse capacity for efficient storage and distribution, ensuring a consistent and reliable “rolling supply” of essential food products across these islands for Consumers, Bakers, Farmers, Supermarkets, Hotels and Restaurants.”To guarantee the consistent supply of flour, feeds, and rice in the OECS, we are focused on two key areas: supply chain reliability and storage capacity,” explained Cato “Our planned investments in St. Kitts & Nevis Antigua, Barbuda St. Lucia and Dominica demonstrate our dedication to serving the entire OECS region,” added Cato. “By enhancing our infrastructure and logistics, we are ensuring that communities across these islands have access to a steady and affordable supply of essential food items.”This latest shipment along with the planned investments in the OECS islands underscores ECGC’s dedication to maintaining a steady supply of high-quality grains, allowing the company to uphold price stability for its flour and animal feed products
