Sint Maarten DUTCH SIDE
information
St.Martin French
Side information
The Island St.Maarten-St.Martin is half
Netherlands Antilles and half France, immigration and customs
procedures are different on each side of the Island ( and
mooring and docking rates are generally cheaper on the French
side :)
The Dutch side is Netherlands Antilles and the French side is in
the European Community.
Yacht Assistance is established on both sides of the Island.
The Lagoon Authority is charged
with the collection of fees as stipulated in the Bridge
Ordinance (AB 1994 no. 4 as amended) and the Harbor Fees
Ordinance (AB 1984 no.5 as amended). The fees Collection Office
of the Lagoon Authority is situated at the Police Station in
Simpson Bay near the bridge and can be reached at tel/fax.no.5453183
or via the Police Station tel.no.
5455500. The opening hours are from 08:00 – 12:00 and 13:30 –
17:00 every day of the week. If there is a lot of traffic the
office will stay open until 18:00 hours.
PLEASE CALL US for the latest changes in
bridge time openings !!!
VISAS ( Updated November 2011 )
Nationals
from countries such as newly-added Guyana and Jamaica, who
require visas to enter St. Maarten, are exempt from obtaining a
visa to enter by air or sea, when they are in possession a Dutch
Caribbean Visa, a multiple-entry visa for the US, Canada, or the
European Schengen region, a residence permit for the US, Canada,
the Schengen region or the United Kingdom, a residence permit
for French St. Martin or a residence permit for Bonaire, St.
Eustatius, or Saba.
For professional yacht crew on the visa-required list without
one of the stated visas, entry is granted with a Seaman's
Discharge Book and an Agent Guarantee Letter that a local agent
will prepare.
For yacht guests on the visa-required list without one of the
stated visas, a 48-hour transit exemption to go from the airport
to the vessel or from the vessel to the airport can be arranged
with a local Agent Guarantee Letter.
Police Dock:
The Police Dock can only be used by
dinghies that come to the Police Station for the services of the
Police; the Immigration; the Customs or the Simpson Bay Lagoon
Authority.
Clearance:
All vessels entering Simpson Bay and the
Simpson Bay Lagoon are by law required to clear in at the Lagoon
Authority Collection Office immediately after arrival and pay
the indebted Bridge, Harbor and Clearance Fees.
All fees are
immediately due and payable upon arrival.
All vessels have to receive clearance from
Immigration, Customs and the Lagoon Authority before departing
to their next harbor of destination. Failure to do so will
result in unforeseen delays and fines.
Fees to be paid when anchoring or docking in
the Simpson Bay and the Simpson Bay Lagoon as per January 1,
2008:
Bridge fees during regular opening hours
entering the Lagoon:
USD 10 for boats from
9 to 12 meters in length
USD 30 for boats from 12 to 15
meters in length
USD 60 for boats from 15 to 18 meters in length
USD 120 for boats from 18 to 22 meters in
length
USD 200 for
boats from 22 to 28 meters in length
USD 300 for boats from 28 to 36 meters in
length
USD 500 for
boats from 36 meters and larger.
Special Bridge openings per vessel and per
opening may be requested 24 hours in advance for openings
between 6.00 AM and 6.00 PM at a fee of USD 1.000 regardless the
length of the vessel and must be paid in advance.
Harbor fees:
USD 20 per week or a portion of
a week for boats from 8 to 13 meters in length
USD 40 per week or a portion of
a week for boats from 13 to 18 meters in length
USD 60 per week or a portion of
a week for boats from 18 to 23 meters in length
USD 90 per week or a portion of
a week for boats from 23 to 28 meters in length
USD 120 per week or a portion of a week for
boats from 28 to 33 meters in length
USD 150 per week or a portion of a week for
boats from 33 to 38 meters in length
USD 180 per week or a portion of a week for
boats from 38 to 43 meters in length
USD 210 per week or a portion of a week for
boats from 43 to 50 meters in length
USD 250 per week or a portion of a week for
boats from 50 to 75 meters in length
USD 290 per week or a portion of a week for
boats from 75 meters or larger
Customs Clearance fees:
USD 2 for boats of 1 – 99 gross tons
USD 5 for boats of 100 – 499 gross tons
USD 9 for boats of more than 500 gross
tons
Harbor Clearance fees:
USD 5 for boats of 1 – 99 gross
tons
USD 10 for
boats of 100 – 499 gross tons
USD 20 for boats of more then 500 gross
tons
Documents to present when clearing
in your vessel:
After entering the Simpson Bay or the Simpson Bay Lagoon
Captains and/or vessel owners are required by law to check in at
the fees Collections Office of the Simpson Bay Lagoon Authority
at the Police Station immediately after docking or anchoring and
present the following documents:
· the
Clearance documents of your last Port of Departure
· the
Immigration clearance documents
· the
Customs clearance documents
· the
vessel registry document
· the
vessel insurance policy document
The Collection Office is open every day,
Monday through Sunday from 08.00 – 12.30 and 13.30 – 17.00
hours. If necessary the office will stay open until 18:00
hours.
All vessels making trips from the Simpson Bay
or Simpson Bay Lagoon to non Sint Maarten harbors are required
by law to clear out at the Simpson Bay Lagoon Authority and pay
the corresponding harbor and clearance fees.
Clearance:
The Harbor Clearance received when clearing
out your vessel for departure, has to be presented in your new
port of destination along with the duly stamped off Immigration
and Customs Clearance documents. Please be advised that due to
the international safety and security measures in accordance
with the ISPS-code and anti-terrorism covenants, arriving in a
Port without the necessary Immigration, Customs and Harbor
clearance documents stamped off by your Port of departure can
cause unnecessary delays and hardships and will result in fines
or other sanctions depending on the nature of the infraction.
The Sint Maarten Authorities maintain a three
monthly consultation meeting with the corresponding Authorities
of the neighboring islands to enforce strict application of all
applicable immigration, customs and harbor laws. Each harbor
authority ensures that a departing vessel, its crew and its
passengers complies with all requirements of the port of
destination.
Bridge Opening Hours:
The daily regular bridge opening hours
during the off season from May to November are:
9.30 AM 11.30 AM and 17.30
PM for both outbound and inbound traffic.
The daily seasonal bridge opening hours for
the John Sainsborough Lejuez Bridge at Simpson Bay from December
to April are:
9.00 AM Outbound 11.00
AM Outbound 16.30 PM Outbound
9.30 AM Inbound 11.30 AM Inbound 17.30
PM Inbound
Transiting the bridge channel:
Your vessel can only proceed to transgress the
bridge channel when the bridge traffic light is on green. The
outbound traffic coming out of the Lagoon always precedes
inbound traffic. All vessels should cue up in line and maintain
a ship’s length distance between vessels as to transit the
bridge in the shortest time possible. The bridge attendant will
instruct you to speed up the moment your vessel falls behind.
Due to the heavy road traffic, the length of
time the bridge can be opened is very limited. While transiting
the bridge channel please turn your VHF radio to channel 12 so
you can follow the instructions and notifications of the bridge
attendant.
If there is any emergency on the road, please
pay careful attention. You will hear the sirens and the bridge
attendant will instruct you to halt your transit so the bridge
can close for the emergency passage of the Police, Fire brigade
or Ambulance. After passage the bridge will once more open.
The bridge will not operate on days that the
10 minute average wind speed limit as published daily by the
Meteorological Service of the Netherlands Antilles exceeds 35
km/hour (19.7 mph). You can request information via VHF channel
12. or on telnr. 545 3183. If due to the wind speed limit the
bridge cannot operate on the scheduled opening hours, we request
you to stand by for an announced opening once the wind speed
allows operations.
Speed limit:
In the bridge channel, fare ways and in the
Lagoon a 5-mph speed limit is in force for all vessels.
Anchorage zones and marinas fall under “no wake zones”. The
buoyage system used is the “red-right-returning” American
system.
No-anchorage zones:
No anchorage is allowed in the fare ways.
The access fare way from sea to the bridge channel should always
stay open. The inbound traffic should position their vessels
along side the fare way so the outbound traffic has free passage
to sea. Behind the airport strip in the lagoon there is a
no-anchoring zone.
Width, height and depth of the
bridge passage:
The bridge opening spans 17 meters (56 ft). The bridge channel
has a depth of 5 meters (17 ft). Wide beamed vessels must
request piloting. Entering from the sea the closed bridge has a
2.6 meters (8.6 ft) clearance in the port channel and a 2.4
meters (8) feet clearance in the starboard channel.
All small vessels, kayaks, jet ski’s, and
rhinos should pass under the bridge using exclusively only the
port channel. Jet ski’s should lower their waterspout as not to
corrode the steel structure of the bridge. These smaller craft
are not allowed in the bridge channel during bridge opening
hours.
Fare ways:
Coming through the bridge into the lagoon
you can take the fare way directly to the left passing in front
of the Coast Guard dock if you wish to go to the western part of
the lagoon. This fare way gives you access to the channel going
to Marigot.
Going straight forward from the bridge will
take you pass Isle de Sol marina towards the newly dredged fare
way at your left that passes in front of Port de Plaisance
Marina to once more make a left to all the way down to Cupe
Coy.
Passing Isle de Sol marina and turning to your
right you will be entering the fare way to the Eastern part of
the lagoon.
Accidents:
If unfortunately your vessel damages the
bridge structure while transiting the bridge channel or if your
vessel damages a buoy or marker while maneuvering, you will be
held liable for all visible and hidden damages. Your vessel will
not be allowed to leave port without settling the claim
presented by the Lagoon Authority.
Successful projects:
The Simpson Bay Lagoon Authority’s first
successful project was the widening of the Bridge deck to 17
meters to allow the larger (mega) yachts to enter the Lagoon.
This was done to diversify the economic development of Sint
Maarten. Other successfully implemented projects include amongst
others the marking of the fare ways and no anchorage zones, the
free collection of trash, the dredging of the bridge channel. In
its bussinesplan many more projects are included to enhance the
facilities in the Lagoon and the Simpson Bay which both fall
under its jurisdiction.
Safety and Security:
The Simpson Bay Lagoon Authority trusts
that all visitors and vessels shall comply with all local rules
and regulations as legally stipulated and that you will help us
keep our waters and facilities safe and clean, free from any
contamination, pollution or crime.
All fire arms, ammunition and explosives,
chemicals and cash money (USD 11.000,-- or more) must be
declared with Customs when clearing in. Failure to do so will
result in your vessel being impounded and your person being
fined and/or sentenced to imprisonment. Drugs possession is
illegal and will lead to the same punishment as mentioned
before. Fire arms possession is only legal if declared and the
owner has a legal permit of his country of origin and the arms
are safely secured. In all other cases the fire arms will be
confiscated.
Official filing of complaints;
If anything unfortunate might happen to
your person or with your vessel, please file a formal complaint
immediately at the Police Station in Simpson Bay. A form for
filing a complaint against unknown perpetrator(s) can be
downloaded from the website of the Lagoon Authority <sxmlagoonauthority.com>.
The Coast Guard, the Maritime Police and the
Lagoon Authority patrol the Lagoon on a daily base for your
safety and security. Feel free to contact them for any
assistance you need.
Number of visits:
The number of yachts visiting Simpson Bay
has steadily increased over the years leading to new marina
projects in the lagoon. During 2007 12.718 visits of vessels
were recorded of which 1.118 were visits of mega yachts.
