Marina Port Royal - Transactional protocol

President Louis Mussington and Semsamar CEO Alain Richardson have jointly decided to end the dispute that has been ongoing since 2018 between the Collectivité de Saint-Martin and its mixed economy company, regarding the management of the Port la Royale marina in Marigot. The signing of this agreement allows the Collectivité to end the public service delegation entrusted to Semsamar in 2007 and to recover full management of its property, in agreement with its partners.

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A transactional protocol between the COM, SEMSAMAR and the port of Galisbay allows us to start again on a good basis

The settlement agreement was signed on Wednesday, April 10, 2024 in front of the local press, by the three signatories of the memorandum of understanding, President Louis Mussington on behalf of the Collectivité, CEO Alain Richardson on behalf of Semsamar and its subsidiary Samagest, as well as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Port of Galisbay Mr. Arnel Daniel. It ends 6 years of litigation over the issue of maintenance and operation of the Marina, which arose during the reconstruction after Hurricane Irma in 2018.

The President of the Collectivité and the CEO of Semsamar wanted to put a definitive end to this penalizing deadlock situation, in order to start again on healthy bases and to open the discussion on the takeover of this marina. A partnership work was carried out in recent months to reach this agreement.

The Collectivité ’s achievements in the 2014-2020 programming

As CEO Alain Richardson indicated, it is a question of moving on to revitalize this site. As part of the agreement signed today, Semsamar will pay compensation to the Collectivité for full and final settlement.

The parties have therefore agreed on an amicable and early termination of the public service delegation agreement (PSA). The Collectivité agrees to take over the operation of the Marina Port La Royale, which is entrusted under this agreement to its port establishment, as is already the case for the management of the Fort Louis marina, also managed by the port establishment.

As a reminder, the Collectivité owns the marina Royale, the access channel and the Auberge de mer building.

A comprehensive diagnosis drawn up by Semsamar allowing the collectivité to work on the reconversion of the Marina Port la Royale, with the aim of ultimately defining the future management method of the site and, if necessary, launching a consultation with a view to the reallocation of a new public service delegation (DSP).

The three signatories welcomed this transactional agreement, which allows the Collectivité to sweep away the past and move forward for the benefit of the marina operators and the general interest of Saint-Martin and its inhabitants.