The Caribbean Regional Logistics Hub in Barbados has demonstrated its vital role in disaster response, facilitating the rapid delivery of nearly 1,000 metric tonnes of emergency supplies to Jamaica following the devastation of Hurricane Melissa. According to Brian Bogart, Representative and Country Director for the World Food Programme’s Caribbean Multi-Country Office, the hub enabled an unprecedented coordinated response to the most destructive storm in Jamaica’s history.
The Category 5 hurricane struck the island on October 28, causing widespread destruction across communities from the south coast to Montego Bay, severely damaging housing infrastructure and disrupting access to basic necessities. In response, the Barbados-based hub mobilized 982 metric tonnes of critical supplies—equivalent to 55 shipping containers—within days of impact.
The consolidated relief effort included contributions from multiple United Nations agencies, international governments, and NGO partners, providing essential shelter materials, water purification systems, sanitation supplies, food provisions, energy equipment, and logistical assets. The strategic positioning of the hub allowed for remarkably efficient coordination, with Bogart revealing that vessel loading operations commenced in Barbados while Hurricane Melissa was still actively affecting Jamaica.
This multi-partner platform represents a significant advancement in regional disaster response capabilities, leveraging military assets from French and Dutch navies alongside private sector transportation resources. The integrated approach has dramatically reduced traditional lead times that previously required supply lines from distant ports in Panama or Miami.
The hub’s effectiveness was highlighted during a recent emergency logistics coordination simulation exercise designed to strengthen regional preparedness mechanisms. As climate-related disasters intensify across the Caribbean, the successful response to Hurricane Melissa underscores the critical importance of maintaining strategic logistics infrastructure for future emergency scenarios.