KINGSTOWN, St Vincent and the Grenadines — Global Ports Holding (GPH) is expected to invest at least US$80 million in the development of St Vincent and the Grenadines’ cruise port infrastructure under a 30-year exclusivity agreement signed on October 26.

Attorney General Louise Mitchell said the investment will be carried out in two phases, with at least US$20 million allocated to the first phase and US$60 million to the second.

The agreement comes as St Vincent and the Grenadines looks to expand its cruise tourism offering. The port in Kingstown currently receives more than 200,000 passengers annually.

The initial phase will focus on expanding the existing cruise-ship berth in Kingstown, which is more than 20 years old. The second phase is expected to include a new pier west of Kingstown, as well as a cruise-ship and mega-yacht berthing facility at Clifton, Union Island.

Mitchell said the agreement also gives Vincentian nationals an opportunity to acquire shares representing up to 30 per cent of the total issued share capital of GPH’s local subsidiary.

The company has also agreed to promote Vincentian culture within the port, potentially featuring local art, crafts, music and heritage in terminal and retail areas, while making space available for cultural performances and events.

Mitchell praised Tourism Minister Dr Kishore Shallow for helping secure the agreement, saying GPH’s record in cruise tourism made the due diligence process straightforward. GPH currently has agreements with the Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda and Puerto Rico.

“The advantage of GPH is that their track record in cruise tourism is so strong that doing due diligence on them was easy,” she said.

Minister of Higher Education, Grenadines Affairs, Airports and Seaports Terrence Oliver welcomed the investment, saying it comes as Caribbean destinations compete for cruise business.

“Our ports are a gateway to our country. As our Prime Minister said a few months ago, the sea is our highway. Today connects us to international trade, to tourism, to investment, and to the wider world,” Oliver said.

He said modern port infrastructure was essential to economic development and that St Vincent and the Grenadines needed to strengthen its ability to attract cruise lines as ships and passenger expectations evolve.

Shallow said the agreement forms part of a wider effort to make the country a more competitive and accessible destination. He pointed to work on improving air access and strengthening the accommodation sector, adding that the aim was to ensure tourism benefits Vincentians.

“The transition of our cruise ship port management is an important development of tourism here in St Vincent and the Grenadines. The large context of this GPH agreement is really about the work being undertaken to reposition St Vincent and the Grenadines as a more competitive, a more accessible, and a higher value destination from a tourism perspective. And our objective is fairly simple, to ensure that tourism works better for every single Vincentian,” he said,

“We are building a tourism industry that is not dependent upon one market or one type of visitor and it means that we want everyone to get to our shows. We are strengthening air access and there is much, much work to be done there from an infrastructure perspective and a strategic and cost-effective perspective as well when it comes to strengthening our relationship with airlines. We are also working on strengthening our accommodation sector.”

GPH chief executive Mehmet Kutman said the company was excited about the opportunities in St Vincent and committed to working with the government to make the project a success.

Prime Minister Dr Godwin Friday said the investment could create opportunities for businesses and workers beyond the port itself, including taxi drivers, tour operators, vendors, craft producers, restaurant owners and entertainers.

“When cruise arrivals increase substantially, ordinary Vincentians will feel the benefit. We campaign on putting money in people’s pockets. This agreement will do that,” Friday said.

He said the existing cruise facility had served the country for years but faced limitations as modern vessels grew larger and required updated docking infrastructure.

“We cannot stand still while the rest of the world moves on,” he said.

Friday also encouraged young entrepreneurs to explore opportunities in tourism, including excursions, visitor experiences and services that could cater to cruise passengers.