From top left: Port Director Albéric Ellis, Port Supervisory Board Member Daniel Arnel, Collectivité President Louis Mussington, Major Risk Management Head Mélodie Illidge-Jenkins, and Chargé de Mission for regional and international relations Michel Zapata. (Robert Luckock photo)
MARIGOT–The Collectivité, in collaboration with the Port Authority, convened a press conference Wednesday morning to inform all boat owners that an official and coordinated protocol has been established to organise management of both recreational and commercial vessels during hurricane season.
This structured system aims to enhance risk prevention, protect people, safeguard strategic infrastructure and the environment, and avoid the severe consequences witnessed during past events such as Hurricane Irma, and specifically concerns access to Simpson Bay Lagoon.
Territorial waters
A protocol regulating the presence and movement of vessels in Saint-Martin’s territorial waters is activated. A complete information package is distributed to boat-owners, which includes the decree issued by the President of the Collectivité prohibiting anchoring in the event of a hurricane alert, the procedures for access to Simpson Bay Lagoon, and a safety plan checklist for vessel preparedness.
This documentation is available on the websites of the Collectivité and the Port Authority, posted at ports, marinas, and boatyards, and shared with the Maritime Affairs Department and neighbouring islands.
No anchoring
To prevent damage caused by vessels during a cyclone, the Collectivité has enacted a regulatory framework through a Presidential decree banning anchoring in the event of a weather alert on Saint-Martin’s territory. Originally signed on May 26, 2017, the decree was renewed on June 8, 2022.
It applies to all territorial waters of Saint-Martin, including bays, light anchorage zones, and Simpson Bay Lagoon. In the event of an orange alert issued by Météo-France, anchoring is strictly prohibited regardless of the vessel’s size, flag, or insurance status.
This ban aims to minimise risks of grounding, pollution, destruction of critical infrastructure (such as water or power plants, ports), and to ensure the efficiency of emergency response operations.
Any vessel found at anchor in violation of this regulation may be subject to administrative enforcement, including forced removal at the owner’s expense. It is therefore essential for every boat owner to be familiar with the decree and adjust their navigation or safety plans accordingly.
Hurricane season
The presence of vessels in Saint-Martin’s territorial waters is tolerated during hurricane season if no weather alert has been issued. However, boat owners are urged to remain constantly vigilant and to monitor Météo France weather bulletins closely.
Each recreational boater or maritime professional is responsible for developing and implementing a safety plan that includes the actions to take when a storm is forecasted, such as hauling out the vessel at a boatyard, sailing south to safer waters in the Lesser Antilles, reinforcing moorings, or identifying a safe harbour ashore. This plan should be prepared in advance, reviewed at the beginning of the season, and tailored to each vessel’s characteristics and situation.
When a hurricane system is forecasted to impact, or could impact, Saint-Martin, the Collectivité’s protocol comes into effect. All vessels must immediately execute their safety plans. Two options are available for boat owners: 1. Leave Saint-Martin’s territorial waters and head south toward generally less exposed areas of the Antilles arc; 2. Haul out the vessel at a boatyard, if a reservation has been confirmed and prior arrangements have been made.
Remaining afloat in anchorage zones, bays, or the Lagoon during an orange alert or higher is strictly prohibited. Non-compliance will lead to administrative sanctions, including forced removal of the vessel at the owner’s expense.
Simpson Bay Lagoon
Access to Simpson Bay Lagoon is strictly regulated when a hurricane is forecasted. Only vessels with a confirmed haul-out reservation at a boatyard will be allowed entry. No vessel will be permitted to remain afloat in the Lagoon during orange, red, or purple alert levels.
To obtain access authorisation, boat owners must submit a complete file to:
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This file must include: Vessel registration certificate or customs clearance document; Proof of insurance covering natural disasters and salvage, confirmation of haul-out reservation at a Lagoon-based boatyard.
Authorisations are valid for the entire hurricane season and must be presented at the Sandy-Ground bridge channel during the last possible bridge opening. If a hurricane alert is issued, a final bridge opening may be authorised, up to orange alert level, if wind conditions permit (winds below 25 knots). Access will be strictly controlled by Brigade Nautique and Police and only pre-authorised entries will be allowed.
Port Director Albéric Ellis emphasised that the misconception that Simpson Bay Lagoon is a “hurricane hole” (shelter) no longer applies, as proven by the widespread destruction in the Lagoon following 1995’s Hurricane Luis.
Major Risk Management Head Mélodie Illidge-Jenkins said fully-comprehensive hurricane insurance for boats must be valid for the whole hurricane season, not just for one month, and include coverage for wreck recovery if the vessel runs aground or sinks.
Chargé de Mission for regional and international relations Michel Zapata confirmed the protocols are being shared with Dutch-side Minister for Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure VROMI Patrice Gumbs, pending further meetings to establish a coordinated response in the event of a hurricane alert.
The Collectivité urges all boat owners to take full responsibility from the beginning of the hurricane season. Respecting the protocol is essential to ensure everyone’s safety, minimise material damage and protect the marine environment.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/collectivite-port-authority-release-protocols-for-vessel-management-in-hurricane-season
