The Governments of St. Eustatius and Saba wish to provide an update regarding the status of the Makana Ferry service and the ongoing discussions surrounding its operational funding under the Public Service Obligation (PSO) arrangement. The partners of this PSO agreement include the governments of St. Eustatius, Saba, St. Kitts and the Makana.
As part of the second phase of the PSO, an amount of $1 million was allocated to support the continuation of the Makana Ferry service for the years 2024 through 2025. This is a reduction of 50% from the previous PSO. During evaluations and negotiations with the Makana, it was determined that the allocated level of funding is not sufficient to sustain the service at its current fare structure, due to rising operational costs.
In the absence of further subsidy support, Makana has therefore had to make adjustments to their fares as of May 1st in order to meet these operational expenses. While this change is unfortunate, it reflects the real financial pressures involved in maintaining essential inter-island connectivity.
The island governments of Sint Eustatius and Saba have actively engaged in discussions with the relevant ministries in The Hague to secure additional support, to prevent fare increases and preserve affordability for residents and visitors alike. Despite our concerted lobbying efforts, we regret to inform the public that we were not successful in obtaining the necessary supplemental funding.
During this period of uncertainty, Makana Ferry demonstrated commendable patience and cooperation by maintaining current fare levels up until May 2025, even without confirmation of additional subsidies. We extend our sincere thanks to the Makana team for their continued partnership and understanding as we work toward sustainable, long-term solutions.
We are also aware that there have been delays and cancellations, due to urgent repairs needed to the vessel. The Makana’s overall priority is ensuring the safety of its passengers, which is why this maintenance is crucial to upholding the service.
Please rest assured that our island governments remain committed to ensuring reliable and affordable sea transportation for our populations. We will continue to actively pursue all available avenues to secure additional funding for the remainder of 2025 and beyond.