Global Ports Holding (GPH), the world’s largest cruise port operator and management company, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to enter into exclusive negotiations regarding the management, development and operation of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Cruise Port (SVG Cruise Port).
Under the MOU, the parties intend to negotiate and execute a concession agreement under which GPH would manage the cruise port on behalf of the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The port will remain under Government ownership, with GPH bringing its global cruise port management expertise, operational capabilities, and cruise line relationships to support the destination’s continued development.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines occupies a strategic location in the South-Eastern Caribbean near major cruise destinations such as Barbados, Saint Lucia, and Grenada. SVG Cruise Port currently welcomes over 200,000 passengers annually and is considered to have significant growth potential.
Subject to the execution of definitive agreements and the award of the concession rights, GPH plans to implement a two-phase investment programme designed to modernize the port’s infrastructure and operations, expand berthing capacity, serve larger cruise vessels, and enhance the passenger experience. This programme is intended to help position the country’s cruise tourism industry for the future, supporting sustainable growth, improving the destination’s competitiveness within the Southern Caribbean cruise market, and ensuring that future development is guided by environmental sustainability.
GPH also intends to support the development of shore excursion opportunities in collaboration with the Government and local stakeholders, with the goal of enhancing the country’s broader tourism product offering and creating additional opportunities for local businesses and communities.