KINGSTON, Jamaica – “I work where others play and it is the greatest job in the world. Because the Ocean was never just a career choice for me- it is where I feel most alive.” – So says Michael McCarthy, Managing Director of Clean Harbours Jamaica Limited.
For the past eight years, in his capacity as the head of one of Jamaica’s leading marine waste management companies, McCarthy has had his battles with skeptical bankers. He also faced an often difficult and resistant public and devastating natural disasters. These disasters have threatened to undo all that he has strived to accomplish.
Yet his steadfast belief in himself, the lessons he learnt from his hardworking parents and his determination to leave the planet in a better condition than he found it, has reinforced his drive. Moreover, that determination fuels his passion to continue along the path.
“At the end of the day, seeing cleaner waterways, healthier coastlines, and tangible environmental change is what continues to motivate me. Knowing that our efforts are contributing to a better future for Jamaica and future generations is far greater than any negativity that may exist around the journey.”
Michael McCarthy’s Journey
Born in Kingston some thirty nine years ago, the young Michael attended Ardenne High School, where he gravitated towards Physics, Literature and Art. His father Fernando was an auto electrical engineer and his mother Angela, a senior public health nurse. Both had a profound influence upon him.
“My dad was a strict disciplinarian and my mom always taught me that anything worth doing was worth doing well. Their teachings, discipline and guidance kept me grounded and helped steer me away from trouble throughout my younger years. So I had a great foundation and was given the latitude to decide what I would become.”
A Love For the Ocean
Clean Harbours Jamaica Limited came about due to his lifelong fascination with the enviroment and the ocean.
Upon leaving high school, McCarthy spent a few years working with his Uncle Solomon in an auto business. He later moved on to the Jamaica Maritime Institute. There, he pursued a degree in nautical sciences.
He co-founded Clean Harbours Jamaica Limited with like-minded individuals. They shared a passion for preserving marine life.
“Having travelled extensively and experiencing firsthand what other countries were doing to protect and preserve their coastlines and waterways, we realized that implementing initiatives of that nature here in Jamaica was, quite frankly, a no-brainer,” he states.
“What started as a shared vision quickly evolved into a mission- to create meaningful change in how we protect our harbours, coastlines, and waterways while proving that Jamaica could stand at the forefront of environmental innovation in the Caribbean.”
Funding Clean Harbours Jamaica Limited
Raising capital proved to be immensely challenging for the new organisation. The banking sector was reluctant to recognise the value of maritime assets, so funding for the organisation proved hard to come by. McCarthy and his business partners persevered.
In his own words, “We continued building through partnerships, innovation, and an unwavering belief in both our vision and the importance of the work we were doing for Jamaica’s marine environment.”
Today, Clean Harbours Jamaica Limited operates primarily as a marine waste management company that focuses on ship generated waste. Although they offer a wide range of other marine services, their main focus is ship waste.
In 2025, the National Solid Waste Management Authority formally acknowledged and appointed CHJ as its operators for marine waste management through the signing of a joint Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The purpose was to facilitate the service itself. Additionally, it aimed to ensure that the governance, environmental compliance and operational standards surrounding marine waste disposal were properly enforced. The goal was also to maintain standards at the highest level.
CHJ has also received recognition, approval and operational support from several of Jamaica’s leading regulatory and maritime bodies. These include the Maritime Authority of Jamaica, The National Environment and Planning Agency and The Port Authority of Jamaica, among others.
The Kingston Harbour Cleanup Project
Managing Director, Clean Harbours Jamaica. | PHOTO CREDIT: ASHANNA JACKSON
However, Clean Harbours Jamaica is perhaps best known for its participation on a major international initiative- The Kingston Harbour Cleanup Project- an alliance with funders The Ocean Cleanup and The GraceKennedy Foundation.
According to McCarthy, it started with a chance meeting with CEO of The Grace Kennedy Foundation, Caroline Mahfood.
“Caroline is, without question, a phenomenal woman and an exceptional human being,” he says. “In 2019, I attended her annual lecture, which, that year, was focussed on the Kingston Harbour – and it proved to be a decision that to this day, I still consider one of the best decisions I have ever made. Because that meeting became the catalyst for everything that followed. She also shared my dream of a cleaner, pollution free Kingston Harbour. Soon afterwards, we were introduced virtually to The Ocean Cleanup team from The Netherlands, who were looking for a Caribbean project to invest in– and the rest, as they say, is history.”
Damage From Hurricane Melissa
Clean Harbours Jamaica Limited maintains the project by placing and managing devices called Interceptors. It also uses other Ocean Cleanup technology. These tools are deployed at some of the largest gullies leading into the harbour.
The Interceptors are essentially large “strainers”, that have so far prevented nearly 6 million pounds of additional waste from being released into the harbour.
Unfortunately, some of the Interceptors sustained damage during Hurricane Melissa last year, but McCarthy, as always, remains determined.
“Watching that happen was genuinely heartbreaking. After dedicating so much time, energy and sacrifice toward cleaning and protecting the waterways, seeing pollution escape into the harbour due to forces beyond our control was difficult to process emotionally. At the same time, experiences like those have only strengthened our resolve. They have reinforced our determination to continue improving our barrier systems, strengthening our deployment strategies and advancing the technology being used across the Kingston Harbour Cleanup Project.”
Michael will join Caroline Mahfood and Professor Mona Webber, James Moss Solomon Senior Chair in The Environment at the University of The West Indies, as presenters for the 36th Annual GraceKennedy Foundation Lecture on June 5- World Environment Day.
Titled The Kingston Harbour Cleanup Project- From Vision to Reality, it will explore how strategic partnerships, innovative technology and scientific expertise are helping to drive the initiative. The initiative aims to reduce the pollution entering Kingston Harbour.
Members of the public are invited to join the lecture virtually via livestream by registering at gkflecture2026.eventbrite.com.
They can also learn more about the Kingston Harbour Cleanup Project at www.cleankingstonharbour.org.
As for the future, McCarthy sees the possibilites as endless for Clean Harbours Jamaica Limited.
“Our vision extends far beyond Jamaica’s shores,” he says. “ Over the next decade, we intend not only to fully realize our ambition of becoming the country’s premier marine waste management provider, but also to expand our expertise and services throughout the wider Caribbean. The goal is for CHJ to become a trusted regional partner capable of supporting neighboring Caribbean nations that seek guidance, operational support, and innovative environmental solutions. We believe that the knowledge, experience and systems we are building today can help shape a cleaner, more sustainable future not just for Jamaica, but for the Caribbean as a whole.”
