COME September, there will be a direct shipping route between Trinidad and Tobago and Curacao to facilitate the movement of goods to boost trade.

In a press release on August 20, the Ministry of Trade and Industry said the new route will begin on September 20. It will be a fortnightly service to move goods between TT and the ABC (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao) islands in under two days.

The release said, “The timing of the service is ideal given that both TT and Curacao commenced the negotiation of a Partial Scope Trade Agreement (PSTA) in July.

“TT maintained favourable trade balances with Curacao over the five-year period (2018-2022) with cumulative exports amounting to approximately $140 million. While the population of the country is small (approximately 150,000 persons), given its strong tourism sector (over 1.3 million visitors annually), the completion of the PSTA will provide the opportunity for TT to supply increased products to that market.”

The release said this new service is a direct result of discussions during a trade mission in Curacao led by Trade and Industry Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon in November 2023.

The route will be operated by shipping company Don Andres NV in collaboration with its local partner, Gulf Shipping. Don Andres has headquarters in Bonaire and provides goods to businesses throughout the ABC islands.

Since Curacao became a self-governing state in 2009 and the declaration that it was the sixth associate member of Caricom, TT has been the first country it has approached to negotiate trade.

The aim of this direct sea route between TT and Curacao is to complement existing air-transport links between the islands, which are currently serviced by Caribbean Airlines twice weekly.

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