St Maarten Port

St Maarten’s port system combines cruise tourism with the movement of goods for the island and its neighbours. Cruise facilities near Philipsburg bring visitors into the local economy, while cargo operations support the everyday supply of businesses and communities.

The cargo terminal handles containers and breakbulk goods, with cargo transferred between ocean services and smaller regional connections. This transfer between ships, known as transshipment, extends the port’s role beyond goods consumed on the island itself.

The operator identifies feeder links serving destinations including Anguilla, St Barths and St Kitts and Nevis. Alongside these freight movements, the wider port organisation covers cruise and yachting activities. Its importance therefore rests on two connected markets: the visitors arriving by sea and the supply chains that keep the island economy functioning.