Antigua and Barbuda’s main seaport has recorded its strongest cargo performance on record, driven by rising container traffic, construction imports and expanding regional shipping activity, Senator Mary Claire Hurst told the Upper House during the 2026 Budget Debate.

Hurst, who chairs the Antigua and Barbuda Port Authority, said container volumes measured in twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) have increased steadily over the past three years, reflecting heightened economic activity.

“In 2023 we had about 19,000 TEUs. In 2024, that increased to just under 21,000, and in 2025 so far we are at more than 23,000,” Hurst said, noting a year-to-date increase of roughly nine percent.

She said the growth has been accompanied by sharp rises in key imports linked to construction and infrastructure development. Cement imports rose from about 65,796 tonnes in 2024 to more than 80,000 tonnes in 2025, while aggregate, sand and stone imports jumped by more than 150 percent over the same period.

Vehicle imports have also climbed significantly, Hurst said, rising from 1,429 vehicles in 2021 to more than 4,600 vehicles in 2025, a trend she said reflects increased consumer demand and business activity.

Hurst attributed the surge in cargo volumes to several major national projects, including the Booby Alley Housing Project, airport runway works, cruise port upgrades and hotel developments.

“The economic activity starts right there at the port,” she said.

She also pointed to Antigua’s growing role as a regional transshipment hub, with goods now being routed through St. John’s Harbour for onward delivery to neighbouring territories including St. Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat, Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Barbados.

“We’re now getting into transshipment,” Hurst said, describing it as a sign of the port’s expanding regional importance.

Hurst said the performance data shows the port is increasingly central to Antigua and Barbuda’s trade, construction and tourism-driven economy, and positions the country as a key logistics gateway within the Eastern Caribbean.