Vieux Fort is St. Lucia's southern principal seaport and a 24-hour commercial port. SLASPA publishes a 163 m finger pier with 35 ft (about 10.7 m) depth alongside, a 210 m container berth with about 11 m depth, and compulsory pilotage above 100 GRT.
Vieux Fort is a commercial seaport with significant alongside depth and 24-hour port operations. For yachts, the local issues are port access, pilotage for larger vessels and the current locally published Customs/Immigration attendance arrangement, together with the proximity of Hewanorra International Airport.
SLASPA publishes a 163 m finger pier with 35 ft (about 10.7 m) water depth alongside and a 210 m container berth with 35 ft / about 11 m alongside. This is commercial-port infrastructure rather than a yacht marina, so berth use must be arranged with the port.
Pilotage is compulsory for vessels over 100 GRT. SLASPA publishes pilot windows of 05:00–09:00 and 16:00–20:00, with pilots available on request during the intervening and overnight periods.
A current local yacht/shipping agent states that Customs is available at Port Vieux Fort while Immigration formalities are handled at Hewanorra International Airport, about five minutes from the docks. Because this is a local operational arrangement rather than a national rule, it should be reconfirmed for the intended call.
Prepare the applicable records before arrival or departure.
Vieux Fort is a principal commercial seaport, so a yacht call needs to align port access and pilotage with the national Health, Customs and Immigration requirements.
Crew and passenger data, vessel details, route and relevant cargo information fall under the national advance-reporting rules, including the separate report inward. Port Vieux Fort operates 24 hours and yachts over 100 GRT require a pilot, so ETA, GRT, berth allocation and pilot requirements should be aligned before arrival.
Port Health pratique applies before normal shore communication. Current local yacht and shipping-agent guidance states that Customs is available at Vieux Fort Docks and Immigration formalities for yacht calls are handled through Hewanorra International Airport; this is local operational guidance and should be reconfirmed for the ETA.
Vieux Fort's commercial infrastructure and proximity to Hewanorra can make it relevant when a yacht call includes spares, cargo or crew travel. Those requirements can be coordinated with the port and border file, while yachts over 100 GRT also need the outbound pilot arrangement aligned with the applicable departure reporting and clearance.
SLASPA publishes Vieux Fort as a 24-hour commercial port. That operating schedule does not guarantee 24-hour Customs, Immigration or Port Health attendance for yacht clearance.
Commercial berth access and compulsory pilotage above 100 GRT are port-operational matters. They sit alongside the national Customs, Immigration and Port Health framework.
Customs law requires advance passenger and cargo information through the proper officer, normally at least 24 hours before arrival from a non-CARICOM country and one hour from a CARICOM member state. Short-voyage alternatives may be set by Customs.
The Customs framework separately requires the vessel’s report inward 24 hours before arrival. This is distinct from the advance passenger and cargo data submission.
A vessel arriving from a foreign place must await pratique before shore communication. At Vieux Fort, that requirement remains separate from commercial-port access and the current authority-attendance arrangement for yacht calls.
SailClear can be used as an optional electronic pre-arrival service where supported. It does not replace IMPACS reporting, the separate Customs report inward, or formal Port Health, Customs and Immigration clearance.
Yes. SLASPA identifies Vieux Fort as one of St. Lucia's two principal seaports. It is a working commercial port at the southern tip of the island rather than a yacht marina.
SLASPA publishes Port Vieux Fort as a 24-hour port. That does not mean every clearance authority provides walk-in yacht service 24 hours a day; Customs, Immigration, Port Health and pilot attendance still need to be coordinated for the actual ETA.
Yes for vessels over 100 GRT. SLASPA publishes pilot availability from 05:00–09:00 and 16:00–20:00, with pilots available on request during the other periods.
SLASPA publishes a 163 m finger pier with 35 ft (about 10.7 m) depth alongside and a 210 m container berth with 35 ft / about 11 m depth. These are commercial-port facilities and berth allocation remains subject to the port's operational plan.
A current St. Lucia yacht/shipping agent publishes that Customs is available at Port Vieux Fort but Immigration formalities are handled at Hewanorra International Airport, approximately five minutes from the docks. Because this is an operational arrangement rather than a statutory rule, it should be reconfirmed for the intended arrival.
Use this page for Vieux Fort arrival, departure and St. Lucia yacht-paperwork assistance.