Economic and aviation consultant Jeremy Stephen has expressed serious doubt about the viability of the regional ferry service planned by Connect Caribe that would connect Barbados and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States.
Stephen cited logistical oversights and unpredictable seas as potential problems that could sink the project before it gains momentum, as he spoke to Barbados TODAY about cargo movement and efforts to bypass the US as a transshipment point amid trade tensions with China. He said the proposed service is flawed and unlikely to last without major adjustments.
“I don’t believe [it will] work. I will come out hard and say that,” he said. “It can work, but only if it operates one route.”
Stephen said that the sea conditions between Barbados and the OECS are often underestimated and would likely result in an uncomfortable journey for most passengers.
“Every time I hear somebody talk about it, I’m convinced they don’t know how the tides are between Barbados and the OECS. They are terrible, and I can guarantee that it won’t be a comfortable ride—it doesn’t matter how large the ship is,” he said.
“It would have to be a cruise ship for you not to feel it. So if the ferry is anything about the size of a yacht or one-eighth the size of a cruise ship, it’s going to be a very difficult journey.”
He added that may be the reason no previous ferry service has lasted, especially out of Barbados. “People who sail these parts often—and I’m not one of them, but I do sail enough—know that won’t be sustainable.”
Sailors based at the Bridgetown marina shared similar concerns.
Jamar Archer, who has been at sea for more than three decades, said the return journey to Barbados is usually the most challenging.
“It can be rough depending on the time of year, normally coming back since you’re coming into the Atlantic. It’s not like you’re in the Caribbean Sea out there,” he said.
He added that seasickness is a real issue for Caribbean travellers. “Most people from the Caribbean do get seasick, so that’s something else you have to look at. Whether people are going to be taking medication, whether they’re going to be allergic . . . Barbados is just too far from most of these destinations.”
Archer said there was definitely a need for better interregional travel but that improving air travel would be more practical.
In contrast, sailor Dexter Sydney, who has spent 27 years at sea and worked long stretches on the Atlantic, said the service could work with the right vessel.
“It will be a rough ride from time to time—that’s how the ocean goes—but it wouldn’t be devastating,” he said. “When you’re leaving Barbados, you have the wind behind you, and when you’re coming back, you have the wind on your bow. But it’s not a sailboat, so it will be good.”
Sydney, who is a Trinidadian living in Barbados, also noted the cultural value of the ferry.
“I think it will connect our people. It’s something positive and it’s something that I want to see happen in the future,” he said.
The private-sector-led regional initiative, which has a price tag exceeding $50 million, was first announced in 2023 as a way to lower travel costs and improve connections between CARICOM states.
It was originally expected to launch in early 2024, but delays related to vessel retrofitting and coordination across jurisdictions have delayed its introduction.
The last update shared by the Connect Caribe’s parent, Pleion Group Inc, was that the service would likely begin during the first quarter of 2025.
When contacted for an update on Friday, Connect Caribe’s Vice President of Communications, Marketing and Strategic Partnerships, Jennifer Highland, said, “Plans are well underway and an official update will be provided within the next few weeks.”
