Sint Maarten: sanctions and trade risk

No elevated indicator

As of 7 November 2026, the screened UN, EU, UK, Swiss and US sanctions lists contain 0 companies, organisations, vessels and aircraft linked to Sint Maarten.Lists last checked 2026-11-07 21:01 UTC.

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

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

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On the sanctions lists

No entry on the 7 lists Sanctioni screens names Sint Maarten.

Latest changes

No new listings or removals naming Sint Maarten recorded yet.

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Logistics profile

Sint Maarten: logistics and trade

Caribbean transshipment and transit hub; tourism and supply logistics

Sint Maarten (ISO code SX) lies in the northern Caribbean on the island of Saint Martin, which it shares with France, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic. Since 10 October 2010 it has been an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands with its own government and parliament; in relation to the EU it has the status of an Overseas Country and Territory (OCT). The climate is tropical-maritime with consistently high temperatures and humidity, a rainy season from October to December and a hurricane season from June to November. The economy is driven by tourism, financial services, trade and aviation. For customs and tax purposes the country operates as a de facto free port: Customs Sint Maarten is primarily a border-protection and law-enforcement agency and levies no general import duties, only an excise on unleaded gasoline. There is no VAT; instead a 5 percent turnover tax (TOT) is levied on domestic business supplies, but not on imports. Its key logistics nodes are Port St. Maarten at Pointe Blanche (cargo and cruise terminal) and Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM), making Sint Maarten a transshipment and transit point for the northern Lesser Antilles. Since 31 March 2025 the Caribbean guilder (XCG) has been the national currency, pegged to the US dollar (1 USD = 1.79 XCG), with the US dollar widely used in daily life.

Capital: Philipsburg
Population: 41,349
Area: 34 km²
Currency: XCG (XCG)
Continent: North America
Region: Caribbean / Lesser Antilles
Economic area: EU OCT (associated overseas territory) / Kingdom of the Netherlands
Religions: Christianity
Access to the sea: Yes

Transport modes Sea · Air · Road

Current situation: Since 31. March 2025 the new currency is the Caribbean guilder (XCG), pegged to USD 1 = 1,79; the ANG has been withdrawn from circulation since 1. July 2025. Tax reform planned: the TOT is to be partly replaced by an import levy.
Seasonal conditions: Atlantic hurricane season June to November with risk of severe storms; rainy season October to December. Tropical maritime climate, warm and humid all year round.

Main seaports

Coles Bay Oil Terminal
Coles Bay Oil Terminal, Sint Maarten, is a pure energy facility for petroleum products. General cargo and customs go via Pointe Blanche at Philipsburg.
Philipsburg
Philipsburg (SX PHI): Sint Maarten's main gateway with a ~100,000 TEU container terminal, lo-lo/ro-ro and CMA CGM, Maersk, MSC calls. Major cruise port.

Main cargo airports

Princess Juliana International AirportSXM
Princess Juliana (SXM): Caribbean cargo distributor with a dedicated terminal and Amerijet 767s; World Bank and EIB-funded terminal rebuild under way.

Road corridors

Philipsburg - Simpson Bay - Cole Bay (ring road)
Crossing to the French side of the island (Saint-Martin)

Main trade lanes

USA - Sint Maarten
Netherlands/EU - Sint Maarten
Regional Caribbean feeder services

Customs and import

Customs authority Customs Department Sint Maarten (Douane, Ministerie van Justitie)

Import customs system: Free port principle: Customs is primarily a border protection and law enforcement authority, NOT general import duties. The only levy collected by Customs is the excise duty on unleaded petrol.
Export customs system: No export duties. Customs controls the export and transit of goods at the port, airport and marinas; export control mainly covers weapons, drugs and protected species (CITES).
Import VAT: No VAT. The main indirect tax is the TOT (Belasting op Bedrijfsomzetten) at 5 percent, levied only on domestic turnover of businesses, NOT on imports.
Proofs of origin and trade agreements: As an EU OCT, it has its own trade policy; goods of OCT origin receive duty-free and quota-free EU market access under the EU-OCT Association Decision (proof of origin EUR.1 / origin declaration).
Restricted and prohibited goods: Subject to licence or prohibition: weapons and ammunition, narcotics, protected species (CITES), certain foodstuffs, animals and plants. Otherwise consumer goods are largely freely importable.

Typical import documents

Commercial invoice
Bill of Lading or Air Waybill (B/L or AWB)
Packing list
Import declaration Customs Sint Maarten
If applicable: certificate of origin / health certificate

Typical export documents

Commercial invoice
Bill of Lading or Air Waybill (B/L or AWB)
Packing list
If applicable: EUR.1 / origin declaration (OCT)
If applicable: CITES or export permit

Logistics conditions

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

Trade

Top import partners

United States Netherlands China France Dominican Republic

Top export partners

United States France Netherlands

Top import goods

Foodstuffs
Consumer goods
Fuels
Construction materials

Top export goods

Re-exports
Services

Typical cargo

Consumer goods
Food
Fuels
Building materials
Re-exports

Logistics questions

Do I have to pay import duties when importing into Sint Maarten?

No, Sint Maarten is de facto a free port. Customs Sint Maarten does not levy general import duties; the only levy collected by the customs authority is an excise duty on unleaded petrol.

Is there a value added tax (VAT) in Sint Maarten?

No. There is no VAT. Instead, the TOT (Belasting op Bedrijfsomzetten) turnover tax at 5 percent applies, only on domestic turnover of businesses, not on imports.

What currency is used in Sint Maarten?

Since 31. March 2025, the Caribbean guilder (XCG), pegged to the US dollar (USD 1 = 1,79 XCG). The former Antillean guilder (ANG) has been withdrawn from circulation since 1. July 2025; the US dollar is widely accepted in daily life.

Which authority is responsible for customs?

The Customs Department Sint Maarten (Douane) under the Ministry of Justice. It is primarily a border protection and law enforcement authority and controls the movement of goods and persons at the port, airport and marinas.

Through which hubs does freight reach Sint Maarten?

Sea freight runs through Port St. Maarten (A.C. Wathey Cruise & Cargo Facilities, Pointe Blanche); air freight runs through the Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM), which has its own cargo terminal. There is no railway.

What EU status does Sint Maarten have?

Sint Maarten is an overseas country and territory (OCT) of the EU, but it does not belong to the EU customs territory. It has its own trade policy; goods of OCT origin receive duty-free EU market access.

What are the main logistics risks for Sint Maarten?

High import dependence of a small island economy and exposure to Atlantic hurricanes (June to November); Hurricane Irma in 2017 severely damaged the port and airport. Customs and port congestion risks are otherwise low to moderate.

Full logistics profile on Freight Academy ↗