The shipping platform

Location: Castries is located on the W coast of the N tip of St Lucia. General overview: The island is centrally located for all shipping routes for vessels of the North and South American and European shipping lines. Deep and sheltered anchorages exist off the entrance to Port Castries. Six berths are available with 727m of quayage. The port handles cruise passengers, containers, cars, aggregate and lumber, and offers 21 days free storage (30 days for empty containers) for transhipment cargoes. Traffic figures: Approx 596,650t of cargo and 1,400 vessels handled annually. Load line zone: North Atlantic Seasonal Tropical Area, Tropical Nov 1 to Jul 15, Summer Jul 16 to Oct 31. Max size: LOA 320m, draught 9.1m. Largest vessel handled: "Adventure of the Seas", 137,276GT, LOA 311m, draught 8.5m.