Maritime Authority of Jamaica’s Director General, Rear Admiral  Peter Brady, has put into port for the final time and handed over the helm to Bertrand Smith, formerly the MAJ’s Director of Legal Affairs. Rear Admiral Brady has served in this role since the Maritime Authority’s inception in 1999.

As Director General, Rear Admiral Brady was primarily responsible for elevating Jamaica’s maritime status regionally and globally. He spearheaded several major initiatives by the MAJ including the development of Jamaica as a shipping hub with attendant services such as bunkering and drydocking, as well as the implementation of the ISPS Code which came into force in 2004.

His distinguished service as head of Jamaica’s delegation to the IMO resulted in his election in 2003, as Chairman of Committee 1 of the 23rd IMO Assembly and Chair of the IMO’s Standards of Training and Watchkeeping (STW) Sub-Committee a position he held for 10 terms. In June 2010 Admiral Brady presided over the Diplomatic Conference in Manila, Philippines where the most comprehensive amendments to the STCW Convention, the global treaty which regulates the training and certification of seafarers, were adopted.

A graduate of the Royal Naval Staff College in Greenwich, London, and Dalhousie University, Canada, Rear Admiral Brady has played a prominent role in maritime education. He is a visiting lecturer at the World Maritime University (WMU) in Sweden, has been a serving member of its Board of Governors (BOG) since 2007, and was the Vice Chair in 2015. In February 2018 he was appointed to the Police Services Commission of Jamaica, and in February 2020 was appointed as a member of the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) Council. Rear Admiral Brady has a passion for maritime education and administration and was not only a visiting lecturer at the World Maritime University (WMU) in Sweden, and his alma mater, Dalhousie University in Canada but he also served up to his retirement as Vice Chair of the Board of Governors of WMU and since February 2020 has been as a member of the CMU Council. For his service to maritime education Rear Admiral Brady was the 2015 SEATRADE recipient of the IMO themed Award for Maritime Education and Training.

Rear Admiral Brady was also passionate about the protection of the marine environment and in addition to serving as head of Jamaica’s delegation to the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee until his retirement he was chair the National Hydrographic Committee and co-chair the National Council on Ocean and Coastal Zone Management. He was appointed as a member of the Police Services Commission of Jamaica and currently serves as Honorary Consul for the Principality of Monaco.

Notwithstanding his major achievements Rear Admiral Brady remained affable and made time to engage a wide cross section of stakeholders including fisher folk, raft operators (to confirm) and members of the national and international yachting community.   He was an unwavering supporter of the Jamaica Legion and Royal Air Force Association both of which support retired members of the JDF and every Christmas he faithfully attended the Reddie’s Place of Safety where he joined the MAJ staff in providing cheer to the children and staff.

Prior to being appointed as Director of the MAJ, Rear Admiral Brady was the Chief  of Defence Staff of the Jamaica Defence Force and during his military career he was the recipient of the Commander of Distinction (CD, Jamaica; Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, CVO (UK and Commonwealth); Legion of Merit (Commander USA); Medal of Honour for Meritorious Service (Jamaica Military).