Future-Proofing Caribbean Trade: Naxxar Tech Presents at the 29th PMAC Annual General Meeting in Suriname

It was a great honour for Naxxar Tech founder Leif Ollivierre to present at the 29th Port Management Association of the Caribbean (PMAC) Annual General Meeting and PMAC Digitalisation and Shore Power Training, held in Paramaribo, Suriname, from 6–10 July 2026.

The event brought together port leaders, policymakers, maritime professionals and industry stakeholders from across the Caribbean to discuss the future of the region's ports and the technologies, partnerships and infrastructure required to build a more competitive and resilient maritime sector.

Our presentation, “Future-Proofing Caribbean Trade: Smart Ports, AI, Automation, and Regional Collaboration,” explored how emerging digital technologies could help Caribbean ports improve operational efficiency, strengthen security, reduce costs and support the transition towards more sustainable regional supply chains. One message stood out throughout the conference: the future of Caribbean trade will increasingly depend on how effectively the region connects its ports, technology, data and people.

The Caribbean Smart Port Opportunity

Ports are fundamental to Caribbean economies. As island states, the region depends heavily on maritime transport for imports, exports, food, energy, tourism-related supplies and wider economic activity. The performance of ports therefore has an impact far beyond the terminal gate. As global trade becomes increasingly digital, Caribbean ports have an opportunity to embrace technologies that can help them operate more efficiently while providing businesses and governments with greater visibility over the movement of cargo. Smart ports are ultimately about connecting the physical and digital worlds. Technologies such as IoT, artificial intelligence, automation and digital twins can generate and analyse information about cargo, containers, equipment and port operations. The objective is not digitalisation for its own sake. The real opportunity is using technology to solve practical problems.

Moving from Manual Processes to Connected Port Ecosystems

Many international trade processes still involve fragmented information and multiple stakeholders. A single container journey can involve the cargo owner, freight forwarder, shipping line, port, terminal, customs authority, inland transport provider and other government agencies. When information is held across disconnected systems or paper-heavy processes, delays and inefficiencies can occur. Digitalisation provides an opportunity to change this. Port Community Systems and Maritime Single Windows can provide important foundations for exchanging information between the organisations involved in maritime trade. IoT can add another layer by connecting the physical cargo and container to this digital environment. AI can then help transform the growing volume of information into actionable intelligence. Together, these technologies can support a transition from fragmented port processes towards more connected smart-port ecosystems.

AI and the Future of Container Inspection

One area where artificial intelligence has significant potential is container inspection. Ports and terminals handle large volumes of containers, and assessing container condition, identifying damage and maintaining reliable inspection records can require considerable operational resources. This is an area being explored through ScanBoX AI. ScanBoX AI is being developed as an AI-powered container inspection and digital-twin solution that can use existing CCTV infrastructure to detect and classify container damage and create digital condition records. This approach could complement traditional inspection processes while creating more consistent digital information about container condition. Importantly for ports and border agencies, digital inspection technologies can become part of a wider smart-port architecture rather than operating as isolated applications. Combining AI inspection with Port Community Systems, customs workflows and other digital platforms could help create more connected approaches to cargo handling and border processes.

IoT and Real-Time Cargo Intelligence

Alongside AI-powered inspection, IoT has the potential to transform how cargo is monitored as it moves between Caribbean ports and international markets. Naxxar Tech provides an IoT and cargo-intelligence layer designed to provide real-time location and condition visibility, emissions monitoring and reporting, and associated compliance data. For regional supply chains, this can help address one of the persistent challenges of international logistics: fragmented cargo visibility. Rather than relying only on milestone updates, connected cargo can provide stakeholders with greater insight throughout the shipment journey. This becomes particularly valuable when cargo moves across multiple islands, ports, transport providers and jurisdictions. The longer-term opportunity is to connect this cargo intelligence with the digital infrastructure being developed within ports and customs environments.

Connecting Naxxar Tech and ScanBoX AI

The combination of Naxxar Tech and ScanBoX AI demonstrates how different technologies could work together within a future Caribbean smart-port ecosystem. Naxxar Tech provides the cargo-intelligence layer, connecting cargo and containers to provide real-time visibility and emissions information throughout the supply chain. ScanBoX AI provides the intelligent inspection layer, using AI, computer vision and digital-twin technology to create digital container condition records and support enhanced security and inspection workflows. Together, these capabilities could integrate with Port Community Systems, Maritime Single Windows and customs processes to create more connected digital trade workflows. A container could increasingly become a digital asset throughout its journey — visible while in transit, digitally inspected at key checkpoints and connected to the wider information ecosystem surrounding the shipment. This is the direction in which we believe smart-port development can evolve.

Strengthening Port and Border Security

Digital transformation is also closely connected to security. Ports must facilitate legitimate trade efficiently while managing risks associated with cargo damage, theft, tampering and wider border-security concerns. Greater visibility and better digital inspection records can provide stakeholders with additional information to support risk-based decision-making. AI-powered container inspection could help identify visible anomalies or damage, while IoT technology can provide additional information about cargo location and condition throughout the journey. Technology does not replace the expertise of customs officers, port security teams or inspection professionals. Instead, it can provide them with better information and digital tools to support their decisions.

Sustainability Must Be Part of the Smart-Port Journey.

The future of Caribbean ports will also need to be sustainable. The inclusion of shore power alongside digitalisation within the PMAC programme demonstrated how the modernisation of ports increasingly involves both technological and environmental transformation. Digital technologies can contribute to this transition. Greater cargo visibility can help stakeholders understand how goods move through regional supply chains, while emissions monitoring and reporting can provide better information about the carbon impact associated with those movements. For Naxxar Tech, connecting cargo intelligence with carbon intelligence is an important part of our vision. Smart ports should not only move cargo more efficiently. They should also provide the digital infrastructure needed to support more sustainable trade.

Regional Collaboration Is the Key

Perhaps the most important theme emerging from the PMAC conference was regional collaboration.

Caribbean ports face many shared challenges. Rather than every port attempting to solve these challenges independently, there is an opportunity to share knowledge, develop common approaches and explore technologies capable of operating across multiple jurisdictions. Interoperability will be particularly important. A container may move between several Caribbean islands during its journey. Digital systems therefore become significantly more valuable when information can move securely between ports, customs authorities, shipping companies and other stakeholders. This creates an opportunity to think beyond individual smart ports towards a connected Caribbean smart-port network. Regional collaboration could help accelerate digital adoption while ensuring that smaller ports and island economies are also able to participate in the next generation of maritime trade.

From Discussion to Practical Implementation

One of the most encouraging aspects of the PMAC Annual General Meeting was the enthusiasm from regional governments, ports and maritime professionals towards innovation. The conversation is increasingly moving beyond whether Caribbean ports should digitalise towards how digital transformation can be implemented practically and collaboratively. That distinction is important.

Successful smart-port transformation requires more than purchasing technology. It requires identifying genuine operational challenges, developing the right digital infrastructure, integrating different systems, training people and building partnerships between governments and the private sector. For Naxxar Tech and ScanBoX AI, our objective is to contribute practical technologies that can become part of this wider transformation.

Building the Future of Caribbean Trade Together

It was a privilege to engage with port leaders, policymakers and industry professionals from across the region and discuss how digital innovation is reshaping the future of Caribbean trade. The quality of the discussions, questions and perspectives shared throughout the event demonstrated a genuine commitment to modernising the region's maritime infrastructure. A sincere thank you to the entire Port Management Association of the Caribbean team for organising an excellent conference and training programme. A special thank you also goes to PMAC Chairman Darwin Telemaque, whose encouragement inspired our participation, and to everyone who attended the presentation, asked insightful questions and shared their experiences from ports across the region. The enthusiasm and commitment demonstrated by Caribbean governments and ports towards digital transformation are extremely encouraging. For Naxxar Tech and ScanBoX AI, the next step is to continue these conversations and work with regional partners to turn ideas into practical solutions.

Our vision is a Caribbean maritime ecosystem where ports are connected, cargo is visible, inspections are increasingly digital, emissions can be better understood, and information flows more efficiently between the organisations responsible for regional trade. Achieving that vision will require technology, investment and strong leadership. Above all, it will require collaboration.

The opportunity is not simply to create individual smart ports. It is to build a smarter, safer, more sustainable and more connected Caribbean trade ecosystem.

We are excited to continue working with partners across the region to help make that vision a reality.

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