ORANJESTAD, St. Eustatius – Up to €40 million may be needed to make the breakwater at St. Eustatius’ harbour future-proof, but the Dutch government currently has no additional funding available for the project.
In a policy letter on Kingdom Relations sent to Parliament on October 2, the government outlines three options for the breakwater. Repairs are estimated at approximately €7.5 million, renovation of the existing structure at €15 million, while extending the breakwater by 100 metres to provide the highest level of future protection would cost around €40 million. No additional funding has yet been secured for any of these options.
The figures follow months of concern about the condition of the harbour. Earlier this year, technical assessments showed that the existing breakwater was in significantly worse condition than previously expected and is considered too fragile, too low and too short to provide sufficient protection under current and future climate conditions. In June, the Statia Government said the available funding was no longer sufficient to complete the harbour project to current standards.
Dutch Parliament subsequently called on the Dutch government and the Public Entity St. Eustatius to prepare an integrated investment and implementation plan for a future-proof harbour, including clarity on the necessary funding. The October policy letter now provides estimates for the different options, but the financing issue remains unresolved.
Critical lifeline
Work on other parts of the harbour project, including the container yard and passenger facilities, has meanwhile been moving forward. The harbour is regarded as a critical lifeline for Statia, handling essential supplies including food, fuel, construction materials and emergency resources.
