WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao is seeking to capitalize on the massive offshore oil boom developing in Guyana and Suriname by promoting the island as a strategic maritime support base for the southern Caribbean.
During the Caribbean Shipping Executives’ Conference (CSEC 2026), maritime and offshore industry leaders discussed how Curaçao could position itself as a logistics, repair and offshore support center serving the expanding oil sector in the Guyana-Suriname Basin.
The discussions focused heavily on the proposed development of Buskabaai, where authorities and private companies want to create a specialized offshore support area capable of servicing vessels involved in oil and gas operations.
According to stakeholders, Curaçao’s geographic position between North and South America gives the island a natural advantage for offshore support activities connected to both Guyana and Suriname.
The offshore oil industry in the Guyana-Suriname Basin has grown explosively in recent years following major discoveries by international energy companies. Guyana has already become one of the fastest-growing oil producers in the world, while Suriname is now moving from exploration toward full-scale offshore production.
Suriname’s energy sector is expected to attract thousands of workers, offshore vessels and service contractors over the coming years. Events such as the Suriname Energy, Oil & Gas Summit (SEOGS) have expanded rapidly, reflecting growing international interest in the region’s offshore potential.
According to participants at CSEC 2026, Curaçao could benefit by providing ship repair services, offshore logistics, subsea support, crew changes, storage facilities and maintenance operations for companies active in the basin.
Stakeholders also believe Curaçao’s existing maritime infrastructure — including the facilities of Damen Shiprepair Curaçao — could serve as a backup and support location for operations linked to Suriname’s offshore developments.
At the same time, experts warn that competition in the region is increasing. Guyana and Suriname are both investing heavily in their own shore bases, ports and local content industries to ensure more economic benefits remain within their countries.
Still, Curaçao’s maritime sector believes the island can secure a significant supporting role if infrastructure investments move forward quickly enough.
Project partners say the Buskabaai initiative is intended to create a broader maritime service and logistics cluster capable of supporting the offshore industry throughout the southern Caribbean region.