POINT BLANCHE--Port St. Maarten recorded stronger cargo activity during the first quarter of 2026, with increases across cargo vessel calls, total container throughput, imports, transit cargo and exports compared to the same period in 2025.
The results for January through March point to a positive start to the year for the Port’s cargo operations, with all major indicators showing improvement over the first quarter of 2025.
Cargo vessel calls increased from 292 in the first quarter of 2025 to 318 during the same period in 2026, an increase of 26 calls, or 8.9%.
Total container throughput also showed solid growth. The Port handled 37,120 twenty-foot equivalent units, TEUs, during the first three months of 2026, compared to 33,531 TEUs in the first quarter of 2025. This represents an increase of 3,589 TEUs, or 10.7%.
Import activity increased by 11.5%, rising from 6,486 TEUs in the first quarter of 2025 to 7,230 TEUs in 2026. The additional 744 import TEUs indicate stronger movement of goods into St. Maarten during the period.
Transit cargo recorded one of the strongest increases among the cargo categories, climbing by 14.7%. Transit TEUs rose from 6,691 in the first quarter of 2025 to 7,672 in the first quarter of 2026, an increase of 981 TEUs.
Export activity also continued its upward trend. Export TEUs increased from 545 in the first three months of 2025 to 630 during the same period this year, representing growth of 15.6%, the highest percentage increase among the cargo throughput categories.
The improved cargo figures formed part of a broader increase in vessel activity at Port St. Maarten during the quarter. Total vessel visits rose from 1,085 in the first quarter of 2025 to 1,209 in 2026, an increase of 11.4%.
The first-quarter figures indicate that Port St. Maarten entered 2026 with stronger activity across its principal cargo indicators. Higher cargo calls, imports, transit movements, exports and overall container throughput all point to improved performance compared to the opening quarter of 2025.
The results also reinforce the Port’s role as a key logistics and transshipment hub for St. Maarten and the surrounding region, with growth recorded in both goods entering the local market and cargo moving through the Port to other destinations.
While the figures represent only the first three months of the year, the across-the-board increases provide a positive early indication of cargo performance in 2026 and establish a stronger base compared to the corresponding period last year.
