Shipping and logistics in Suriname: port, air cargo and land transport

Almost all sea freight enters through the Dr. Jules Sedney Port in Paramaribo, where DP World runs the largest container terminal; air cargo goes through Johan Adolf Pengel airport at Zanderij, and over land you take the ferry to Guyana or French Guiana. Four things matter in 2026: the port is being expanded and digitised, the United States has imposed extra conditions on ships from Suriname since September 2025, the Canawaima ferry was out of service for a week in late August 2026, and trade with Guyana is hampered by the Corantijn dispute.

On this page (17)

• Ports and terminals
• The National Port Community System
• Port security and the US conditions of entry
• Sea freight: lines, transit times and weighing
• Air cargo
• Choosing a forwarder and a customs broker
• Container release, demurrage and storage
• Over land to Guyana
• Over land to French Guiana
• Transport within Suriname
• Cold chain and warehousing
• Incoterms with Surinamese examples
• What a shipment really costs
• What if...
• Checklist
• Sources
• Frequently asked questions

Ports and terminals

Location	Who	For
Dr. Jules Sedney Port, Paramaribo (formerly Nieuwe Haven)	N.V. Havenbeheer Suriname (port authority, leases to terminal operators)	Most containers, breakbulk and ro-ro
Container terminal in the Jules Sedney Port	DP World Paramaribo	Containers (capacity 130,000 TEU a year), 119 reefer plugs, stuffing and stripping (CFS, about 20 jobs a day), warehouse (30,000 tonnes a year), ro-ro
La Vigilantia, Paramaribo	DP World	Project cargo and breakbulk for mining, oil and gas, timber and cement: 73 m quay, 21,000 m² storage, ships up to 200 m
Other terminals and port facilities on the Suriname River	Including VSH United and private company landings	Breakbulk, bulk, offshore supply, companies' own cargo
Nieuw Nickerie	N.V. Havenbeheer Suriname	West Suriname, including rice; customs post
Albina	Ferry landing, customs post	Traffic with French Guiana

Expansion. Havenbeheer is building a new 140-metre quay and 7.1 hectares of extra storage, both due in September 2027, followed by another 120 metres of quay. The quays are being dredged to 7.5 metres at low tide; deeper is only possible if the channel is deepened, for which the Maritime Authority Suriname (MAS) is doing a feasibility study. According to Havenbeheer, the large shipping lines expect up to 300% more cargo even before first oil (2028). A trucking centre and an appointment system for trucks are also planned. For businesses this means more capacity later, but congestion at the terminal and on the access roads until 2027.

The National Port Community System

A Port Community System (PCS) is a single digital platform where the port authority, customs, shipping lines, terminals, forwarders and hauliers share data on ships and cargo. Documents no longer have to be submitted several times and everyone can see when a container is released. Havenbeheer is developing it with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Ministry of Public Works, starting at the Jules Sedney Port. Customs and Havenbeheer sit together on the steering committee.

What you can do now: make sure your records are digital and that your broker works electronically with ASYCUDA and the terminal. Once the PCS is live it will probably become the way to book pick-up and delivery slots. The new General Customs Act recognises digital records: New laws and rules.

Port security and the US conditions of entry

Ports that receive international traffic must comply with the International Maritime Organization's ISPS Code: a security plan, a Port Facility Security Officer, access control and drills. In Suriname the MAS is the supervisor and publishes instructions, including on access control, drills, internal audits and the "Condition of entry".

On 3 September 2025 the US Coast Guard announced that Suriname does not maintain effective anti-terrorism measures in its ports. Since 17 September 2025, conditions apply to ships that call at the United States after visiting Suriname: while in Surinamese ports they must apply extra security measures from their own security plan, such as guarding access points. It is not a ban, but Suriname is on the same list as Cuba and Venezuela, among others.

• Effect on you: shipping lines may pass on extra costs or change schedules, especially on routes to the US. Ask your forwarder whether your service is affected.
• What is happening: the MAS and the US Coast Guard have trained port staff since January 2025; more training followed in 2026 and an audit was expected later in the year. Whether Suriname has been taken off the list is shown in the Coast Guard's Port Security Advisory.
• Own landing? Then you are responsible for ISPS compliance if you receive international ships. Follow the MAS instructions.

Sea freight: lines, transit times and weighing

Paramaribo has few direct services. Much cargo is transhipped in a Caribbean or European hub, and schedules change often. So we only list what we could check:

• Europe (Rotterdam, Antwerp, Le Havre): ask two or three forwarders for current sailings, the door-to-door transit time and whether there is transhipment. A short ocean leg with transhipment can take longer than a direct service.
• Caribbean: according to the schedule on Flexport Atlas, CMA CGM runs a shuttle linking Paramaribo with Georgetown, Port of Spain, Barbados, Antigua, Sint Maarten and Kingston, among others.
• Florida: in September 2024 Tropical Shipping started a weekly LCL (part-load) service from the Port of Palm Beach to Paramaribo, with a transit time of 8 days.

Weight of export containers. Under the SOLAS Convention the gross mass of every full export container must be verified before loading. The MAS publishes a list of certified weighbridges (updated 11 September 2026), including at DP World, VSH United and companies in Wanica, Para and Nickerie.

Shipping lines usually invoice in USD or EUR. How to get foreign currency and which rate you pay: Exchange rates today.

Air cargo

Air cargo goes through Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport at Zanderij. The airport lists airlines including Surinam Airways (SLM), KLM, Caribbean Airlines, Copa, GOL and Trans Guyana. Most scheduled flights are passenger flights: cargo travels in the hold, so capacity is limited and expensive. It suits samples, spare parts, medicines, perishable exports (fish, vegetables, flowers) and urgent shipments.

• Cold storage: the airport has a cold store that operates 24 hours a day: 5 cold rooms with up to 51,000 kg capacity in total and a 60-tonne weighbridge (contact through the commercial affairs department).
• Booking: through an air cargo agent or forwarder, or directly with the airline's cargo department. Ask about the rate per kg, volumetric weight, handling charges and the cut-off time before departure.
• Customs: air cargo is also cleared through a customs broker. Small parcels and couriers: Importing goods.

Choosing a forwarder and a customs broker

A freight forwarder handles transport: booking with the shipping line or airline, consolidation, insurance, haulage to and from the port. A customs broker (inklaarder) files the declaration with Customs in ASYCUDA. Many companies do both. Customs brokers are trained and certified by the Ministry of Finance and Planning together with the Customs Brokers Committee; 61 new brokers qualified in August 2024. Ask to see that certificate.

What to look for:

• Proof of the broker's certification and the company's KKF registration.
• A written quote with every item: freight, surcharges (fuel, security, peak season), port charges, clearance, haulage, and what happens in case of delay.
• Experience with your product (reefers, dangerous goods, food, vehicles) and the licences that go with it.
• Insurance: does the company cover damage and loss, and up to what amount? Arrange your own cargo insurance: Business insurance.
• Responsiveness: do you get updates on arrival, inspection (green or red lane) and release?
• References from other importers or exporters.

Authorise your broker in ASYCUDA and give only the rights that are needed. The step-by-step clearance process is on Importing goods.

Container release, demurrage and storage

Three kinds of charges start running per day once your container is discharged:

Charge	Charged by	When
Storage	The terminal	After the terminal's free days, until the container leaves the gate
Demurrage	The shipping line (container owner)	If the container is still at the terminal after the free time
Detention	The shipping line	If you have not returned the empty container after the free time
Reefer power (plug-in)	The terminal	Per day a reefer is plugged in

• Negotiate free time up front in your freight contract, especially if your product needs licences or inspections.
• Have the broker file the declaration before the ship arrives, with all documents and licences. Most delays come from a missing certificate or a licence applied for only after shipment.
• Watch 1 November 2026: new procedures for the amended Negative List start then. A missing licence means a stuck container: New laws and rules.
• During a physical inspection (red lane) the days keep running. Make sure someone is available to attend.
• Customs law in the making: during the debate on the General Customs Act 2026, business groups asked for clear rules on seizing containers and on perishable goods. Follow it on New laws and rules.

Ask the terminal or your forwarder for current free days and rates; they are not published centrally.

Over land to Guyana

The only road link is the Canawaima ferry across the Corantijn (Courantyne) River, between South Drain near Nieuw Nickerie and Moleson Creek in Guyana, carrying vehicles and freight. The Canawaima Management Company is state-owned. 2026 was a turbulent year:

• In April 2026 the supervisory board was replaced after staff unrest.
• On 22 August 2026 the MAS imposed a sailing ban because safety equipment and technical parts did not comply. Travellers were stranded on both sides. After inspections and thickness measurements of the hull plates, the ferry resumed on 28 August 2026; the remaining findings are followed up daily.
• A bridge over the Corantijn has long been planned, but had no financing yet in 2026.

Trade with Guyana. Since spring 2026 there has been a dispute over Surinamese levies on vessels on the Corantijn. In May 2026 Surinamese business groups reported that shipments to Guyana were being held by Guyanese authorities. For exporters this means: work with an experienced Guyanese importer or agent, have complete CARICOM documents (certificate of origin, see Trade agreements and market access), set clear delivery terms and transfer of risk, and allow for waiting time at the border.

Over land to French Guiana

A vehicle ferry crosses the Marowijne (Maroni) River between Albina and Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni. A new ferry landing was built in Albina with EU funds (started in June 2023) for a larger ferry. Check current sailing times beforehand and whether trucks can be carried, as the service has been interrupted several times in the past.

• French Guiana is EU territory: EU import rules, labelling and food safety requirements apply to goods. See EU rules for Surinamese suppliers and Trade agreements and market access.
• Exports across the river also go through Customs in Albina. Taking goods across by canoe without a declaration is smuggling.
• Albina is an important trading town. Schedule deliveries in the centre at quiet times and ask your customer where you can load and unload.

Transport within Suriname

• By road: the East-West Link runs from Albina via Paramaribo to Nieuw Nickerie; roads south lead to Brokopondo, Atjoni and Apoera, among others. In the rainy season dirt roads in the interior can become impassable. Weigh heavy loads on a certified weighbridge and ask your haulier about insurance and permits.
• By water: rivers are the main route to many villages and mines. According to the MAS, vessels must be inspected every year, and licensing conditions apply to ferry services. Ask a river transporter for the inspection certificate, life jackets and a passenger or cargo list. See also Workplace safety.
• By air: remote places in the interior are served by domestic flights to small airstrips; payload is limited and the weather sets the schedule.
• Mining and oil: supplying mines or offshore projects comes with extra safety and planning requirements. See Mining and gold and Oil and gas.

Calculate the running cost of your own vehicles: Trip and delivery cost. Districts and distances: Business by district.

Cold chain and warehousing

For fish, shrimp, meat, vegetables, fruit and medicines the cold chain is the weak link. In the port DP World has 119 reefer plugs (90% for customer containers) and handles about 8,000 TEU of reefer containers a year; at the airport there is the 51,000 kg cold store. In between, you depend on your own cold rooms and refrigerated transport.

• Power: since late August 2026 EBS has been switching off areas of the EPAR grid in rotation, for at least three hours each time. A cold room without backup power is a risk. See Power, water and internet and EBS power outages.
• Temperature logging: record temperatures from production to loading. EU and Caribbean buyers increasingly ask for it.
• Warehousing: when renting, ask about security, fire insurance, pest control and whether the warehouse is under customs supervision (useful for goods not yet cleared).
• Track stock: Stock tracker.

Incoterms with Surinamese examples

Incoterms (the 2020 version of the International Chamber of Commerce) determine who pays for transport and when risk passes. Always state the term and the place in your quote and invoice, for example "FOB Paramaribo".

Term	Seller arranges up to	Example
EXW (ex works)	Goods ready at the seller's premises; buyer arranges everything, including the Surinamese export declaration	Awkward for foreign buyers, who cannot file a declaration in Suriname. Prefer FCA.
FCA (free carrier)	Delivered to the buyer's carrier, export clearance by the seller	You deliver a container to the DP World terminal for your customer's shipping line.
FOB (free on board)	Goods on board the vessel at the port of departure	Common for bulk and breakbulk, such as timber or rice from Paramaribo or Nieuw Nickerie.
CFR / CIF	Seller pays ocean freight (and with CIF insurance) to the destination port; risk passes on loading	You import CIF Paramaribo from China. Note: Customs charges duty on the CIF value.
DAP (delivered at place)	Delivered to the buyer's address, without import duties	You deliver by your own truck via Albina to a customer in Saint-Laurent; the customer clears import.
DDP (delivered duty paid)	Everything, including import duties and taxes in the buyer's country	Only if you know the import process in the buyer's country. A foreign supplier offering DDP Paramaribo must have an importer here.

What a shipment really costs

The freight rate is only part of it. List these items for every shipment:

1. Purchase price and the Incoterm: what is already included in your supplier's price?
2. Transport to the port of departure and export costs there (with EXW or FCA).
3. Ocean or air freight plus surcharges: fuel, currency, security, peak season.
4. Insurance: usually a small percentage of the value, but essential.
5. Terminal and port charges in Paramaribo: handling, storage after free days, reefer power.
6. Customs: import duty, statistical and consent fees, excise and VAT on the CIF value, plus the broker's fee (Importing goods, VAT in Suriname).
7. Haulage to your warehouse and returning the empty container.
8. Risk of delay: demurrage, detention and extra storage if a licence or inspection drags on.
9. Currency: freight and goods in USD or EUR, sales in SRD. Use the rate you actually pay (Exchange rates today).

Fill this in with the Import cost calculator and then set your selling price with Price and markup.

What if...

• ...my container has been at the terminal for days? Ask your broker why (documents, licence, inspection) and ask the shipping line in writing for extra free time if the delay is not your fault. Keep track of all costs.
• ...my shipment to Guyana is held? Have your Guyanese customer or agent find out which document is missing, involve the Surinamese embassy or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and report it to your business association (Business associations).
• ...the Canawaima is not sailing? There is no other legal road link. Agree with your customer who bears the cost of waiting, and consider sea freight to Georgetown.
• ...my cargo arrives damaged? Sign the transport document with a remark ("subject to inspection"), take photos and notify the carrier and your insurer in writing straight away.
• ...I export to the US? Ask your shipping line about extra costs from the US conditions and allow a few days' margin.
• ...I want to use my own landing for imports? Ask the MAS and Customs first whether the landing is designated and whether customs supervision is possible.

Checklist

• Incoterm and place in every contract, quote and invoice
• Certified customs broker chosen and authorised in ASYCUDA
• Licences and certificates applied for before shipment (watch 1 November 2026)
• Free time for container and terminal agreed in writing
• Cargo insurance arranged
• Verified container gross mass (SOLAS) for exports
• Cold chain with backup power and temperature records
• Buffer in the schedule for the Canawaima, Albina and inspections
• CARICOM or EU origin documents ready
• All costs included in the import cost calculator and your price

Sources

• DP World: Paramaribo port and terminal
• Havenbeheer: Jules Sedney Port expansion and PCS (24 September 2026)
• US Federal Register: conditions of entry for vessels from Suriname (3 September 2025)
• MAS: maritime security instructions
• MAS and US Coast Guard: ISPS training (January 2025)
• MAS: certified weighbridges (September 2026)
• MAS: vessel certification
• Tropical Shipping: weekly LCL service to Paramaribo (September 2024)
• Flexport Atlas: CMA CGM Eldorado shuttle
• Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport: cold storage
• Finance and Planning: 61 new customs brokers (August 2024)
• Canawaima: sailing ban lifted (28 August 2026)
• Cabinet of the President: Canawaima safety (September 2026)
• New Canawaima supervisory board (April 2026)
• Starnieuws: warning on trade barriers with Guyana (9 May 2026)
• Suriname Herald: exports to Guyana obstructed (11 May 2026)
• Suriname Herald: dispute over Corantijn levies (9 April 2026)
• TCT: construction of the new Albina ferry landing begins (June 2023)
• Prefecture of French Guiana: La Gabrielle ferry suspended (June 2023)
• DNA: draft General Customs Act 2026
• Suriname Herald: EBS load shedding (15 September 2026)
• ICC: Incoterms 2020

Checked on 26 October 2026. General information. Schedules, rates and border rules change; ask your forwarder for the current position.