CARICOM leaders have approved the establishment of a regional ferry service to improve transport links and boost intra-regional trade, which currently accounts for less than 15% of total trade. A committee, including the Presidents of Guyana and the Prime Ministers of Barbados and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, will oversee implementation.

The ferry, set to launch in the Eastern Caribbean with both cargo and passenger capacity, is backed by logistics operator Cari Cargo Inc. and will initially utilise Trinidad and Tobago’s Galleons Passage vessel. The service aims to reduce trade barriers and lower freight costs for regional producers, particularly in agriculture and manufacturing.

This transport upgrade complements CARICOM’s broader strategy to deepen economic ties through the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) while expanding South-South trade with Africa and Latin America. With new financial links, such as Afreximbank’s regional offices, CARICOM aims to build more resilient supply chains and open new markets for goods, services, and creative industries.

News and Image Source: News Room Guyana