French St. Martin Details €135M Plan to expand and modernize Port of Galisbay

MARIGOT--The Collectivité of Saint-Martin has outlined a large-scale plan to extend and modernize the Port of Galisbay, describing the initiative as a strategic project intended to strengthen the territory’s competitiveness, autonomy, and crisis resilience. The port expansion is being advanced by the Port Establishment of Saint-Martin under the direction of port director Albéric Ellis, with territorial councilor Daniel Arnell serving as president of the Port Establishment.

According to the published project overview, the extension is aimed at correcting structural limitations that have constrained Galisbay since its construction, particularly draft depth, which the document says prevents the port from receiving container ships. The document argues that this limitation has contributed to a reliance on the Dutch-side port for maritime freight, with knock-on costs carried by residents and businesses on the French side through fees and logistics that ultimately influence prices.

The report places Galisbay in direct comparison with the port of Philipsburg (St. Maarten), describing a significant infrastructure gap in both draft depth and quay length. The document estimates that Philipsburg captures about 75% of the island’s maritime traffic and links the current imbalance to revenue loss and additional costs on the French side, including container-related charges estimated at about €2 million per year.

Project planners say the Galisbay expansion is designed to reposition the French-side port in the regional market by enabling it to receive larger vessels, develop transshipment activity, and add cruise capacity, including high-end cruising supported by a multipurpose quay. The project is also presented as a resilience measure, intended to support continuity of supply and emergency operations during crises, including the ability to host defense vessels if needed.

The technical package described in the document includes dredging the access channel to reach a 9-meter draft, extending port protection works, and increasing berthing and storage capacity. Planned works include lengthening an existing quay into a 175-meter multipurpose berth, constructing a new 200-meter commercial quay, adding a 120-meter ro-ro berth, and creating approximately 10 hectares of additional yard space using dredged materials. The plan also states an objective of increasing domestic traffic capacity over time and rebalancing the market share between the north and south of the island.

Environmental impact mitigation is described as a central component of the project file, supported by multiple studies and proposed measures addressing seagrass, marine mammals, corals, turbidity, and water quality monitoring near key infrastructure such as the desalination plant. The document states that the works would be managed with avoidance, reduction, and compensation measures, alongside monitoring and the option to pause works if environmental thresholds are exceeded.

On the tourism side, the Collectivité’s document says the expanded port would allow small high-end cruise ships to berth directly rather than anchoring offshore, improving safety and passenger handling. The project narrative includes ambitions to position Saint-Martin as a cruise homeport, with a short-term outlook of 30 to 40 calls in high season and a target of roughly 50,000 cruise passengers annually, compared with an estimated 10,000 today.

The investment for the port extension is estimated at about €135 million, with a financing structure presented as 60% public funds and 40% private capital, pursued through a partnership procurement process. The document also projects employment impacts, including construction-phase jobs and operational roles, as well as indirect logistics employment linked to increased port throughput.

A public inquiry on the project is underway, with the document indicating the consultation period runs from November 19, 2025 through February 19, 2026, including public meetings and multiple channels for residents and stakeholders to submit feedback.

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