Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: sanctions and trade risk

No elevated indicator

As of 7 November 2026, the screened UN, EU, UK, Swiss and US sanctions lists contain 3 companies, organisations, vessels and aircraft linked to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.Lists last checked 2026-11-07 21:01 UTC.

Logistics profile: ports, airports, customs, documents, holidays, news ↓

No elevated country indicator for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in the route rules Sanctioni uses. That is not a clearance: goods may still be export-controlled, and parties in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines may still be on a list.

Check a shipment to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines →

On the sanctions lists

3 entries on the official lists name Saint Vincent and the Grenadines — as nationality, address, registration or flag. That links them to the country; it says nothing about other companies there. The same company can appear on several lists and is then counted once per list. Individuals are not included — Sanctioni does not process them.

List	Entries	Companies & organisations	Vessels	Aircraft
US OFAC — Specially Designated Nationals (SDN)	3	3	—	—

Latest changes

No new listings or removals naming Saint Vincent and the Grenadines recorded yet.

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Logistics profile

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: logistics and trade

Small Caribbean island and import market (OECS/ECCU), heavily dominated by sea freight

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (ISO code: VC) lies in the Eastern Caribbean and forms part of the Lesser Antilles, south of Saint Lucia and north of Grenada. It is a parliamentary democracy and a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The climate is tropical, with consistently high temperatures, high humidity and a pronounced rainy season from June to November. The economy rests on agriculture, fisheries, tourism and services, while industry plays a limited role. Exports are dominated by bananas, other agricultural products and services, while the country relies heavily on imports of consumer goods, energy and industrial products. Logistically it is served by Argyle International Airport, the Port of Kingstown and a road network that secure freight and passenger movements and provide limited transit functions within the Eastern Caribbean. The national currency is the East Caribbean dollar (XCD), pegged to the US dollar. Strategic investment focuses on infrastructure, sustainable tourism and logistics to strengthen competitiveness and regional connectivity.

Capital: Kingstown
Population: 100,616
Area: 389 km²
Currency: East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Continent: North America
Region: Caribbean / OECS
Economic area: CARICOM / OECS / CSME / ECCU
Religions: Christianity
Access to the sea: Yes

Transport modes Sea · Air · Road

Current situation: New modernised Kingstown cargo port opened on 25. October 2025 (Kingstown Port Modernisation Project, CDB/UKCIF, 380 m quay wall); first vessel MV FOUMA on 26. October 2025.
Seasonal conditions: Tropical climate; Atlantic hurricane season June to November with risk of storm, wind and flood damage as well as port closures. Pronounced rainy season June to November.

Main trade lanes

USA - St. Vincent
Trinidad and Tobago - St. Vincent
United Kingdom - St. Vincent
Intra-Caribbean (OECS/CARICOM)

Customs and import

Customs authority Customs and Excise Department, St. Vincent and the GrenadinesOfficial website ↗

Import customs system: ASYCUDA World; electronic import declaration (CusDec) filed by a licensed customs agent with invoice and shipping documents. Customs Procedure Codes (CPC) control the procedure.
Export customs system: ASYCUDA World; export declaration filed electronically through a licensed customs agent. CARICOM-origin goods receive preferential treatment in the internal market.
Import VAT: Import VAT 16 percent standard rate (since 1. May 2017); hotel sector 11 percent, certain services 0 percent. Levied on customs value plus duty at the border by Customs and Excise; administered by Inland Revenue Department.
Proofs of origin and trade agreements: Preferential proofs in the CARICOM internal market via CARICOM certificate of origin; towards the EU the CARIFORUM EPA applies. There is no free trade agreement with Switzerland/EFTA.
Restricted and prohibited goods: Import restrictions include, among others, weapons and ammunition, narcotics and certain agricultural and food products (licence or permit required); inspection by Customs and Excise.

Typical import documents

Commercial invoice
Bill of Lading or air waybill
Packing list
ASYCUDA import declaration (CusDec)
Import licence/permit if applicable

Typical export documents

Commercial invoice
Packing list
ASYCUDA export declaration
CARICOM certificate of origin (for preferences)

Logistics conditions

Customs complexity: Medium
Customs delays: Medium
Dangerous goods relevance: Low to medium
Pharma and cold chain relevance: Low to medium
E-commerce relevance: Low

Trade

Top import partners

United States Trinidad and Tobago China United Kingdom Canada

Top export partners

United States Trinidad and Tobago United Kingdom Grenada Saint Lucia

Top import goods

Food
Fuels
Consumer goods
Construction materials
Vehicles

Top export goods

Bananas
Arrowroot
Fish
Services

Typical cargo

Food
Fuels
Consumer goods
Building materials
Vehicles
Bananas and agricultural products (export)

Logistics questions

Which import tax applies in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines?

A Value Added Tax (VAT) of 16 percent is levied on imports (standard rate since 1. May 2017). The hotel sector pays 11 percent, certain services 0 percent. VAT is due at the border together with import duty.

How are imports declared for customs?

The declaration is made electronically in the ASYCUDA World system, usually by a licensed customs agent, based on the commercial invoice, shipping documents and packing list. Customs Procedure Codes (CPC) determine the respective procedure.

Which customs tariff applies to imports?

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines apply the CARICOM Common External Tariff. Goods of CARICOM origin enjoy duty and levy concessions in the internal market if a valid proof of origin is presented.

Through which ports and airports does freight traffic run?

The most important sea port is Kingstown, which put a new modernised cargo port into operation in October 2025. Air cargo runs via Argyle International Airport (SVD) with a cargo terminal and cold storage; the Grenadines have smaller regional airports.

Which currency is used?

The national currency is the East Caribbean dollar (XCD), pegged since 1976 to the US dollar at a rate of 2,70 XCD per US dollar. It is issued by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB).

Is there a free trade agreement with Switzerland or the EU?

There is no free trade agreement with Switzerland or EFTA. Towards the EU the CARIFORUM EPA applies; within the regional internal market CARICOM and OECS preferences apply.

Which logistics risks should be considered?

As an island state, the country depends on sea freight and regional transshipment, with limited storage and cold storage capacity. The Atlantic hurricane season (June to November) can cause delays; the volcano La Soufriere (last eruption April 2021) remains a residual risk.

Full logistics profile on Freight Academy ↗