PORT ST. MAARTEN CHARTING A COURSE FOR THE FUTURE
LEADING THE WAY ON SUSTAINABILITY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, PORT ST. MAARTEN IS PROVING WHY IT IS THE CARIBBEAN’S NUMBER ONE PORT.
Charting a Course for the Future
PROJECT MANAGED BY: TREVOR GRETSINGER
The ‘Friendly Island’ of Sint Maarten/ Saint-Martin can be found in the northeastern Caribbean. As the shared nature of its name suggests, the island is divided between the French collectivity of Saint-Martin in the north, and the Dutch constituent country of Sint Maarten in the south.
Thanks to its white beaches, clear waters, and blue skies, Sint Maarten/Saint-Martin attracts huge numbers of visitors each year, many of whom pass through Port St. Maarten – the Friendly Island’s largest port.
Port St. Maarten can be found on Sint Maarten’s south coast, where it welcomes over 2 million passengers a year. Popular with some of the world’s largest cruise ships, the port also accommodates cargo ships and yachts.
Despite its idyllic setting and international reputation, Port St. Maarten has endured various challenges of late. Most prominently, the port has had to overcome a range of geographical and meteorological challenges –the most recent being Tropical Storm Ernesto.
MAKING IT THROUGH THE STORM
Storm Ernesto impacted Sint Maarten in August 2024, leading the country’s port to
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implement its hurricane plan on Monday 12 August. The plan involved suspension of vessel berthing operations and closure of the port’s office to protect facilities, crews, and staff.
Storm Ernesto passed approximately 65 miles west of Sint Maarten. Thanks to careful preparation, Port St. Maarten was able to make it through the storm with only cosmetic damage to its facilities, and soon resumed operations in time for the 2024/25 cruise season.
After overcoming Storm Ernesto, Port St. Maarten enjoyed a positive end to the year, and kicked off 2025 with a bang – quite literally – as it staged the 3rd Annual Crew Year’s Eve Fireworks Show.
Now an annual tradition, the Crew Year’s Eve Fireworks Show is hosted by St. Maarten Marine Trades Association, in association with Port St. Maarten Group and other local businesses. The event is a celebration, and show of gratitude, for all yachts that have visited Sint Maarten during the Holiday Season, as well as their hardworking crews and other members of the marine and hospitality industry – many of whom have to work through the Holidays.
However, Crew Year’s Eve fireworks have become a larger, community event, with the entire island welcome to enjoy the show. As host, it is just one example of how Port St. Maarten acts to support its unique island community, an endeavour for which the company received a prestigious award in 2025.
AWARD-WINNING ENGAGEMENT
In February 2025, Port St. Maarten was proud to be named the region’s Best Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Organisation for 2024
after winning the Community Corporate Challenge (CX3). Community engagement and fundraising were among the categories assessed during the judging period, and Port St. Maarten was praised for its spirit of collaboration and impact.
CX3 aims to encourage partnerships between businesses and non-profits. As well as being named Best CSR Organisation, Port St. Maarten also received an award for Most Funds Raised during the process.
As part of its CSR activities, Port St. Maarten has recently furthered its commitment to becoming a greener port. Specifically, the port is confident of achieving the maritime industry’s goals of zero emissions by 2030 and net-zero by 2050. Sustainability efforts at Port St. Maarten currently include port-wide electrification, the introduction of electric vehicles for port operations, exploration of waste-to-energy solutions, and early discussions on providing shore power to cruise ships.
Beyond sustainability, Port St. Maarten is looking to improve the overall destination experience for its visitors. Key initiatives encompass beautification projects, new attractions, and most importantly, improved guest connectivity – including the introduction of a waterside walkway that will enhance access and safety.
The latest data trends suggest that there is likely to be a steady increase in active cruise ships in the years ahead. Around 40 new ships are expected to be introduced by 2030, meaning Port St. Maarten can expect even more passenger traffic. Similarly, the port’s cargo operations are showing robust growth and the facility recently enjoyed a double-digit annual increase in cargo activity.
However, more than 85% of Sint Maarten’s revenues come from tourism, with cruise ships the largest contributor. Consequently, Port St. Maarten remains focused on the cruise ship space, and well-placed to capitalise on its growth.
Homeporting, for example, is a profitable avenue that Port St. Maarten is exploring, with two new homeport vessels introduced during the 2024/25 season. Virgin Voyages began regular transit calls at Port St. Maarten in 2024, and the port is now discussing future homeporting opportunities with Virgin Atlantic.
A SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY
In 2025, Port St. Maarten is expecting over 1.5 million passengers. One contributor to this rise in visitors is Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) after the liner agreed to increase calls to the Port in 2025. The deal arrives on the back of Port St. Maarten’s efforts to diversify its cruise offerings and enhance passenger experience. At the
same time, NCL sees Port St. Maarten as a key partner in testing and launching innovative cruise experiences.
Dubbed ‘a significant opportunity’ by Sint Maarten’s Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport, and Telecommunications, Port St. Maarten’s relationship with NCL is an example of what may be achievable going forward when it comes to strengthening the island’s cruise tourism sector. Additionally, the deal will have a substantial economic impact, with each passenger expected to spend an average of US$161, while each crew member could account for US$171 per person. After a resilient response to the challenges of summer 2024, Port St. Maarten has bounced back and is set to enter the 2025/26 season stronger than ever. With a growing volume of cargo ships and cruise passengers set to pass through the port in the years ahead, Port St. Maarten continues to enhance its position as a premier destination in the Caribbean.
