With more than a week to go before the end of April 2025, the Dominican Republic was still on track to receive 74 cruise ships – the highest monthly figure to date, as noted by Jean Luis Rodríguez, Director of the Dominican Port Authority (Apordom). As was explained then, most of these vessels will dock in Puerto Plata, but La Romana, Cap Cana and Samaná will also receive cruise ships.
Puerto Duarte de Arroyo Barril (at Samaná Bay) has been undergoing major transformation since March 2024, when construction began to convert the facility into a modern cruise terminal capable of accommodating Oasis-class cruise ships. With terminal capacity to receive and manage four ships at once, Samaná is expected to begin docking cruise ships by the end of 2025. In this regard, construction has been proceeding apace, and recruitment of skilled personnel to work at the new terminal has already started.
In January, at a press conference to discuss progress on the Caribbean’s newest cruise port, Governor Teodora Mullix invited residents of the Samaná region to participate in a job fair scheduled for later that month (22 and 23 January). The event marked the first step in recruiting workers to fill some 200 job positions for the first phase of operations. These included roles in Engineering, Security, Construction, Construction Assistance, Administrative Assistance, Maritime Manoeuvring, Boatmen and Divers.
The cruise terminal at Puerto Duarte – the newest cruise destination port in the Caribbean – is expected to make Samaná a must-visit destination in the region. Residents of surrounding communities are, on the whole, positive about the
development and its potential to drive sustained economic growth.
Portside Caribbean recently assigned correspondent
Marc Evens Nicoleau to document how local residents feel about the development of the Caribbean’s newest cruise ship destination in their community. From his random sampling of residents, he found that they were generally positive about the economic growth and job opportunities the project promises. As he noted: “Those who had a positive view expect economic growth and job opportunities coming from the development. The negatives feared displacement; potential negative environmental impacts; rising prices. The main concerns included housing stability, rent increases, environmental pollution, and eviction. And the biggest hopes included job opportunities, tourism, better roads and infrastructure development.”
The following is a summary of his notes from the various interviews he conducted in the community:
Aida Martínez – Resident of Barrio, Samaná for 27 years
· Employee on the project? No
· Attitude to the construction: Neutral but worried
· Problems experienced: Noise, dust, possible displacement of neighbours
· Expected benefits: More jobs for locals
Aida, a lifelong resident of Barrio el Barril and owner of a small restaurant in
the neighbourhood, expressed mixed feelings about the port development.
She is particularly concerned about the potential rise in rent and the overall cost of living once the construction is complete. While she recognises that an influx of tourists could benefit small businesses like hers, she fears that “the people of always” will be the ones
to profit, while “the people of the street” will continue to struggle.
Samuel Gómez –
Resident of Samaná Centre for 35 years
· Employee on the project? No
· Attitude to the construction: Positive
· Problems experienced: Noise from construction
· Expected benefits: Economic growth and job stability
Samuel, a father of three who works as a tour salesman, views the cruise terminal development as the greatest opportunity Samaná has seen in decades. He believes it will open up new employment options, particularly for young people. “For those of us inside, it’s a blessing,” he said, “but I understand that for those losing their homes, it’s painful.”
Carmen Rojas – Resident of El Barril for 18 years
· Employee on the project? No
· Attitude to the construction: Negative
· Problems experienced: Eviction, lack of information
· Expected benefits: None for her personally
Carmen and her family are being asked to relocate to make way for road expansions linked to the port development. “We’ve lived here for almost two decades, and now they tell us we have to leave. Where are we supposed to go?” she said. Carmen feels the port may bring in revenue, but believes it will primarily benefit investors – not everyday people like her.
José Antonio Pérez – Resident of Barrio for 40 years
· Employee on the project? No
· Attitude to the construction: Neutral
· Problems experienced: Heavy truck traffic
· Expected benefits: More tourism, more business opportunities
José Antonio, a retired fisherman, recalls a time when the coastline was much quieter. He says the ongoing construction has led to frequent traffic jams, making it difficult for older residents to get around. “It will help some,” he reflected, “but I’m not sure if it will help us, the ones who have been here forever.”
Marisol Delgado – Resident of Samaná Centre for 12 years
· Employee on the project? No
· Attitude to the construction: Positive
· Problems experienced: Noise
· Expected benefits: More tourism, more investment in public spaces
Marisol owns a small café near the main square and is enthusiastic about the cruise port development. She hopes it will attract more visitors and breathe new life into local businesses. “We need this. Samaná is beautiful, but it has been forgotten by the government for too long,” she said.
Ramón Espinal – Resident of El Barril for 50 years
· Employee on the project? No
· Attitude to the construction: Negative
· Problems experienced: Forced relocation, uncertainty
· Expected benefits: None
Ramón is furious about having to leave the home he has lived in for five decades. Along with other residents in his neighbourhood, he is organising efforts to demand fair compensation. “They come with papers, numbers, and promises, but they don’t live here. They don’t know what it’s like to start over at my age,” he said.
Miguel Hernández – Resident of Barrio for 30 years
· Employee on the project? No
· Attitude to the construction: Neutral but concerned
· Problems experienced: Noise, road damage
· Expected benefits: More opportunities for local workers
Miguel, a moto taxi driver, is concerned about the impact the new port may have on traffic in the area. He hopes the authorities are preparing for the added strain. “We already have problems with potholes and congestion. What happens when thousands of new trucks and tourists come in?” he asked.
Arelis Guzmán – Resident of Barrio el Barril for 15 years
· Employee on the project? No
· Attitude to the construction: Negative
· Problems experienced: Displacement fears
· Expected benefits: Yes
Arelis rents a small home near the construction zone and is afraid her landlord may evict her to sell the land. “Nobody is telling us anything. We’re just waiting to see if we wake up one day with a letter saying we have to leave,” she said.
Manuel Rodríguez – Resident of Samaná Centre for 28 years
· Employee on the project? Yes (Construction worker)
· Attitude to the construction: Positive
· Problems experienced: Dust from construction
· Expected benefits: Steady jobs
Manuel says this is the best job he has had in years. “It’s hard work, but it pays better than anything else in town,” he shared. He hopes the government will ensure that, once the port is completed, locals will continue to be hired for future work.
Isabel Ramírez – Resident of Barrio for 25 years
· Employee on the project? No
· Attitude to the construction: Mixed feelings
· Problems experienced: Rising rent prices
· Expected benefits: More tourism, but fears losing her home
Isabel rents an apartment, and she is concerned about the increasing rent prices. “With all this development, I don’t know if I’ll still be able to afford to live here in five years,” she said.