Haiti’s Northwest turns to sea travel as gangs block roads, but operators say soaring fees threaten key alternative 

PORT-DE-PAIX— As armed gangs tighten control over Haiti’s highways, residents and merchants in the Northwest are increasingly turning to sea travel to move goods and reach other regions. But boat operators say soaring customs costs, alleged abuses by authorities and weak regulation are making the fragile transport lifeline increasingly unsustainable.

“As an alternative to gang-controlled roads, we travel by sea to reach other cities in departments for our business activities, such as Cap-Haïtien [north] and Miragoâne [south],” Léila Docile, a 28-year-old merchant, said. 

With kidnappings, extortion and attacks increasingly reported along major highways, linking the Northwest to Port-au-Prince and other major cities to the south, many residents say traveling by road has become too dangerous. In response, travelers, farmers and traders are turning to coastal routes connecting Port-de-Paix, Môle-Saint-Nicolas and other communities to the Artibonite, Nippes and West departments.

But while maritime transport has become a lifeline for many communities isolated by insecurity, boat owners and merchants say soaring costs increasingly burden the sector, alleging abuses by authorities and a lack of state regulation.

“But the journey remains risky, and transporting goods is still extremely expensive, even without paying ransoms for passage at gang-controlled checkpoints, ” Docile said.

Maritime transport becomes an economic lifeline

Beyond passenger travel, maritime transport now plays a critical role in supplying the Northwest with essential goods as insecurity disrupts road access across much of the country.

Traders, often called madan sara, regularly use sailboats and small vessels to transport charcoal, corn, rice, beans, flour, dried fish, other agricultural crops and construction materials to local markets. Without maritime transport, residents say some communities could face severe shortages.

However, merchants and boat operators say that growing dependence on sea travel has created new financial pressures. In addition to licensing costs, boat owners and operators must pay high per-load customs duties.

Yet, some merchants claim that the lack of state regulation and fair enforcement has led to exorbitant sea travel fees.

“It is the boat owners who set their prices however they want, without regulation or state intervention,” Emilie Joachim, a 37-year-old trader, told The Haitian Times.

As a direct consequence, rising transportation costs are also driving up prices in local markets, making basic goods increasingly unaffordable for many families already struggling amid Haiti’s economic and humanitarian crisis. Most families in the region—where inflation is double, or even triple, the national rate of over 20%—live on less than $1 a day or depend entirely on remittances from relatives abroad, notably from the United States.

And despite the maritime sector’s growing importance in the Northwest Department, residents say it remains poorly structured, with limited infrastructure, inconsistent service and weak safety oversight.

“The Northwest, which has nearly 80% coastline, should be able to better serve the population,” said Widson Charles, a resident of the region. “Authorities need to regulate maritime transport and support local operators and merchants who depend on it.”

Boat owners denounce customs fees and alleged abuses

Boat operators say customs costs have become one of the biggest threats to their activities.

Wisner Désir, a 24-year-old boat captain with seven years’ experience in maritime transport, said operators are demanding fairer regulations and lower fees.

“Our sailboat can transport up to eight tons of iron. We charge about 7,500 gourdes, or roughly $57, per ton because licensing and customs fees are excessive,” Désir said. 

In addition to passengers, small boats transport plywood, cement, iron and other construction materials used to supply local markets.

Louisena Jean-Louis, a boat owner, accused authorities of undermining an already fragile sector.

However, the Haitian Maritime and Navigation Service (SEMANAH), the agency responsible for enforcing regulations, says the institution fulfills its duties. 

“SEMANAH oversees maritime regulation and vessel licensing according to the law,” said Léonel Deshommes, departmental director in the Northwest.

“It enforces strict control over boat departures by verifying passenger numbers and cargo capacity in order to prevent violations,” Deshommes added.

According to the departmental director, SEMANAH charges between 600 and 700 gourdes per vessel for licensing fees and does not collect docking fees, contrary to claims by several boat owners in the region.

Several boat operators disputed Deshommes’s denial, alleging that officials routinely demand between 20,000 and 50,000 gourdes — roughly $150 to $400 — for boats to operate at the Port-de-Paix port. And then customs would charge an additional fee per shipment arriving at the dock.

Officials at the National Port Authority (AAN) —in charge of customs and port operations—did not respond to The Haitian Times’ request for clarification or comments on the allegations.

For many merchants and travelers, maritime transport remains one of the only ways to avoid gang-controlled roads, where armed groups routinely impose illegal tolls, commit kidnappings and attack public transportation.

“Thanks to maritime transport, goods can still reach the Northwest when roads become unusable because of gang-fabricated insecurity,” Jean-Louis said.

Yet despite serving as a crucial alternative for isolated communities, the sector continues operating with little state support, irregular service and mounting accusations of corruption and abuse by authorities.

“Risking my life at sea only to put money into the pockets of customs officials is arbitrary and outrageous,” one sailor said, requesting anonymity for fear of reprisals. 

“There is no service, no assistance, no real and equitable enforcement; this government is only there to extort people. We need [boat operators and owners] to unite to fight this.”                         

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