For decades, Chaguaramas has marketed itself as the Caribbean’s premier yacht repair and maintenance hub. Its skilled craftsmen, marine service companies, and location outside the hurricane belt have long been its selling points. Yet industry players argue that one obstacle consistently undermines those advantages, an outdated and cumbersome vessel clearance process.
Now, with the long-awaited SailClear electronic clearance system edging closer to launch, businesses across Chaguaramas believe the industry may finally be on the verge of a breakthrough. The platform, which combines Health, Immigration, and Customs documentation into a single electronic process, was recently tested with seven cruisers. While officials are still ironing out technical issues before a full rollout, stakeholders say its arrival could transform how T&T competes for lucrative yacht traffic.
Marine Services Association of Trinidad and Tobago (MSATT) officials expect SailClear to reduce vessel clearance times from between four and six hours to approximately 15 minutes when fully operational.
More boats, more business
For restaurant owner James Hadeed of Patches by the Sea, located at Peake Yacht Services, the benefits extend far beyond the marinas.
“Anything that’s encouraging the yachting industry is obviously a positive thing for the country, for the restaurants, for the workers, for the citizens of the country. That’s a no-brainer. You’re encouraging foreign exchange, you’re keeping people employed, and you’re gaining employment there by having more yachties visit the country.”
Hadeed believes easier entry procedures will send a strong signal that Trinidad and Tobago is modernising.
“It will help the yachting industry to see that we are progressing in technology and making it easier, way easier for them to enter and exit the country. That’s a big deal.” Drawing on three decades of experience travelling throughout the Caribbean, he contrasted Trinidad’s procedures with those of neighbouring islands.
“You go to those small Caribbean islands, the population is next to nothing compared to us, and it’s a breeze. It’s in and out within a couple of minutes.”
He argued that greater yacht traffic benefits virtually every business in Chaguaramas.
“The population increases in the yachting industry, and everybody gets more business from it. Everybody benefits, the government and the people.”
While Hadeed noted yacht arrivals are already increasing this season, he stressed that continued investment is needed to remain competitive.
“Making facilities easier and more welcoming is definitely what the government needs to continue doing.”
He also pointed to wider challenges affecting the sector.“The yachties want to walk the streets and shop and buy. They have to have security for that, you know, they have to feel safe.”
Like many employers, he highlighted labour shortages as another concern.
“Good workers are very hard to find.”
Fighting a 30-year battle
Few people have witnessed the industry’s frustrations more closely than Peter Peake, owner of Peake Yacht Services.
“It’s been 30 years, ever since the inception of this industry, we have been trying to get our customs and immigration officials to be on par, and procedures to be on par with our competitors in other islands.”
Peake described SailClear as one of the most significant developments the industry has seen in years.
“The biggest news in yachting circles in Trinidad and Tobago is the oncoming advent of SailClear, which, boy, we’ve been trying to get something like that to go for so many years.”
He believes Trinidad developed a regional reputation as one of the most difficult destinations for visiting yachts.
“Our reputation for being a difficult place to clear into over the years became our biggest problem.”
That reputation, he argued, often undermined government efforts to promote the country internationally.
“They’re not playing on the same team. It’s just like, one has one set of rules, and the next one has a different set of rules.”
While praising efforts to digitise the process, Peake warned that technology alone will not solve everything.
“What we need to make sure happens with our SailClear form that is now coming in, is that we need to have smiling officials. Our officials need to be friendly and welcoming, as they are in the other islands.These people are going to spend 20, 30, 40 sometimes US$100,000, sometimes US$200,000 over a period of two years, fixing up their boat,” Peake stressed.
He noted that, unlike cruise passengers who spend a few hours ashore, yacht owners often remain in Trinidad for months to undertake repairs and upgrades.
As momentum builds, he believes the country has a rare opportunity to rebuild its reputation.
“As we have the opportunity, as we have the momentum now, we need to work on it further.”
A gateway to foreign exchange
Alpha Canvas owner Carlos Fensom believes SailClear could unlock far greater economic activity if supported by broader reforms.
“Trinidad, fortunately, although we’re outside of the hurricane belt, is the only one of the islands that provides the type of services and quality of services anywhere within the Caribbean.”
Fensom, who also serves as a board member of the industry association, argued that bureaucratic obstacles have cost Trinidad thousands of potential visitors.
“If the government had followed through, as this one has at this point in time, we would have seen a larger influx of boats. Maybe 3,000 plus boats would have been here at any given time.”
He explained that yachties often generate spending well beyond their original plans.
“One job that they just assume might have worth US$10,000 might spiral into US$20,000, US$30,000 or US$40,000.”
That spending filters through accommodation providers, restaurants, transportation operators, chandlers, tradesmen and retailers.
“This industry is completely different, and that’s why it’s so unique, and that’s why it’s so different.”
Fensom remains cautiously optimistic.
“For now, like the previous government, I’m very sceptical until it happens. So it’s not launched. It’s tested until it is launched.”
Even after implementation, he believes customer service must improve across the board.
“We want the US dollar, but we do not want a person who brings the US dollar. We tend to have that problem, and that is one of the things we have to fix.”
He also identified another obstacle still facing boaters.
“Trinidad and Tobago is one country why cruisers have to check in and check out when moving between both islands.”
Fensom believes stronger collaboration between the government and the private sector will be essential if Trinidad hopes to regain lost ground.
“If it’s done right, they will come, but it has to be right.”
Cruisers welcome the change
American sailors Bill and Maureen, who have based their vessel Kalunamoo in Trinidad since 2015, believe the reforms are overdue.
“Trinidad, for whatever reason, was known to have the ‘most’ paperwork to complete and had a very negative view, and that caused many cruisers to make their decisions NOT to come to Trinidad.”
They described SailClear as a game-changer already embraced across the Caribbean.
“It is therefore heartening to see that Trinidad has made this effort, and we look forward to its full implementation.”
The couple believes the new system, combined with improved services such as the recently opened Port Health Office at Crews Inn, will encourage more sailors to choose Trinidad.
“Modern technology will not be stopped, and in a competitive world, those who don’t keep up will surely be disadvantaged.”
MSATT shares that view. The association reported that the new Port Health Office has already reduced clearance waiting times from up to two days to roughly two minutes. Officials expect Sail Clear to be officially launched by the end of July once final issues involving Customs, Immigration, and Health authorities are resolved.
