TCI News
$8.9 Million Redevelopment of South Dock Begins
Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicosIslands, February 1, 2024 – A transformation of the country’s largest shipping port that will drive down the cost of shipping, goods and services is what the government is promising will come from the $8.9 million South Dock Port Redevelopment and Modernisation project.
“Phase one will consist of a new cargo terminal with two berths and a roll-on-roll-off ramp. The new dock will be approximately 374 feet long, varying between 98 feet and 131 feet wide; we are dredging two deeper and wider berthing pockets and a larger turning pocket for proper safer navigation as well,” said Tueton Williams, Ports Authority Board Chairman, at the January 25th groundbreaking.
He was reeling off the benefits of an expanded dock; touting it as a step towards lowering the overall cost of living for Turks and Caicos Islanders.
The project had been approved as far back as 2020. At the time, South Dock was described by Delton Jones, Director of Ports, as nearing the end of its useful life after 25 years of acting as the gateway for all imports to the Turks and Caicos.
With the country now expanding in almost every way from housing, population, tourism, to hotel room, it is expected that trade too will increase necessitating an improved ‘doorway’.
“Today’s groundbreaking reflects years of input by my staff, government entities, consultants and stakeholders. It also marks the continuation of our collaboration as we aim to deliver this project in a timely manner. I thank successive governments and ministers with responsibilities for ports for recognizing the strategic importance of this redevelopment project,” said Jones.
Ground was broken ahead of the scheduled date for the project which hadn’t even been included in the 2023/24 budget year. The funding was brought forward from the 2024/25 financial year and was approved in September 2023 via a Supplementary Appropriations Bill.
That $8.9 million allocation is the first tranche of a $41 million total cost and will cover Phases 1 and 2 of the redevelopment, which is one of the government’s 10 priority projects.
To be completed with that cash is:
- A new multi-purpose container yard with more storage;
- Terminal rows to facilitate smooth traffic
- A new Port Authority Office.
- internal roads, and installation of a new scale.
- A safe-water drainage system,
- A larger turning basin, and
- Raising the port to improve climate resilience.
As for how the government envisions all of the work will eventually pay off, it’s expected that there will be a reduced cost of living, more efficient stevedoring process, reduced tariffs, reduced waiting time and other benefits.
The government says that as it is making infrastructural changes, upgrades will also come to the digitization of the ports and human resources to make sure that the staff is able to operate the modernized facility
“[It] will not only shape the future of our community, but also leave an indelible mark on the global landscape of trade and commerce here in the Turks and Caicos Islands,” said Arlington Musgrove, Minister of Immigration and Border Services.
Washington Misick, TCI Premier, in his remarks, indicated that while the journey had been long, this was a significant milestone. He personally thanked the members of the Port Authority, who were in attendance for the hard work they put into making the project reality.
Misick had promised in early 2023 that a local contractor would be hired for the job, now entrusted with the large project is Island Site Development.
South Duck facilitated over $600 million in trade with and generated $6 million in taxes for the government in the 2022/23 financial year.
Phase one of the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.
Almost two million visitors recorded in 2025
PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS – The Turks and Caicos Islands saw an increase in stayover arrivals in December, seven percent higher than the corresponding period in 2024.
Preliminary data suggests that stay over arrivals by air for the month of December was 66,427 in comparison to 62,610 in December 2024.
From January to December 2025, preliminary visitor arrival numbers totalled 640,754; on par with the number recorded for the same period of 2024.
Stay Over Arrivals YTD December 2024/2025
The first quarter of the calendar year attracted the largest number of arrivals with visitor arrivals three percent higher than the first quarter of 2024. Reduced airlift from the United Kingdom and the United States, most notably the Virgin Atlantic and JetBlue services, was however felt from the second quarter (April to June). As a result, visitor arrivals dropped three percent in the second quarter.
By the third quarter of this year (July to September), geopolitical and economic conditions in the key source markets, namely the United States, led to further contraction of arrivals. In the last quarter of 2025, arrivals were impacted in October due to the passage of Hurricane Melissa but additional airlift from the USA and Canada resulted in an increase in arrivals in November and December.
Mr. Paul Pennicook, Interim CEO Consultant of Experience Turks and Caicos, said December’s increase in stayover arrivals is an encouraging indicator of the sustained interest in the Turks and Caicos Islands as a premier destination.
“While we note and continue to monitor geopolitical shifts that affect us, Experience Turks and Caicos is focused on increasing marketing initiatives in our primary source markets. We have spent the last two years investing in groundwork such as crucial travel advisor training to assist them in selling the destination more effectively. In the next fiscal, we will be building on those initiatives with co-op activities with partners as well as out of home advertising to increase visitation to our destination,” he said.
In Cruise, the preliminary count of passenger arrivals for the month of December 2025 was 129,346, a 22 percent increase over last December. This growth follows the berthing of 11 additional ships in Grand Turk this month.
From January to December, the cruise sector continued to outperform the same period last year, as the 1.3 million total cruise passengers recorded, marks a five percent Year-on-Year increase. 
The cruise sector experienced significant growth in the first quarter of 2025, with passenger arrivals surpassing last quarter by 53 percent. In the second and third quarter however, several cruise lines adjusted their itineraries as vessels were pulled from the fleet or from the Caribbean region, which resulted in fewer passengers.
Arrivals dropped seven percent and 10 percent in the second and third quarters, respectively. Double digit growth was recorded in the last two months of Quarter 4. This growth however, was not sufficient to outweigh the drop in arrivals experienced in October, following the cancellation of cruise calls due to the passage of Hurricane Melissa. Despite the late-quarter rebound, arrivals for the final quarter of 2025 closed six percent below the same period in 2024.
News
The Department of Trade, Industry & Fair Competition to Host Export Readiness Workshop Under the theme “Empowering TCI Businesses for Local Growth and Global Markets.”
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – Wednesday, 11 February 2026: The Informal Settlements Unit (ISU) coordinated a multi-agency enforcement operation on Thursday, 29 January 2026, led by the Planning Department, with support from the Crown Land
Unit, the Turks and Caicos Islands Border Force, and security provided by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force. The operation, carried out at three different locations in Providenciales, formed part of ongoing government efforts to address unauthorised development and illegal occupation of land in accordance with governing legislation.
The operation commenced in Blue Hills, where five Section 58 Enforcement Notices were issued on unauthorised structures identified on Block and Parcel 60502/48.
Enforcement activity then moved to a second location off the Leeward Highway near Caicos Lodge, where six Section 58 Enforcement Notices were issued on additional unauthorised structures on Block and Parcel 60802/66.
The final phase of the operation took place in The Bight, where three unauthorised structures were removed, with all debris cleared from the site in keeping with established safety and environmental protocols.
The Informal Settlements Unit remains committed to working alongside its partner agencies to support lawful development, protect public and private land, and ensure that planning regulations are enforced in a coordinated and transparent manner across the Turks and Caicos Islands. Similar joint operations will continue as part of the Government’s wider strategy to address unauthorised development and informal settlement activity.
