Maritime Risk Briefing · 41 Commercial Ports
The Caribbean Sea is a strategic maritime crossroads connecting North and South American trade with the Panama Canal, the Gulf of Mexico energy complex, and transatlantic shipping routes. The region's ports serve a diverse range of commercial activities including container transshipment, crude oil and refined product exports, LNG shipments, and cruise tourism. The Caribbean's maritime risk profile is shaped by a combination of natural hazards, sanctions enforcement challenges, and narcotics interdiction operations that can affect commercial shipping.
Hurricane season (June 1 through November 30) is the dominant natural hazard for Caribbean maritime operations. Category 4 and 5 hurricanes generate sustained winds above 130 knots and storm surges that can devastate port infrastructure and endanger vessels at berth or at sea. Hurricane track forecasting has improved significantly, but the intensity and rapid intensification of tropical systems remains difficult to predict beyond 48-72 hours. ArcNautical's stochastic scoring module incorporates tropical cyclone probability into voyage risk assessments during hurricane season.
Venezuela sanctions represent a significant compliance challenge for vessels operating in the Caribbean basin. The US has maintained comprehensive sanctions against Venezuela's oil sector since 2019, and the regulatory framework has been subject to frequent modification through general licenses and specific authorizations. Vessels calling at Venezuelan ports, or those with prior Venezuelan port calls in their AIS history, face enhanced scrutiny from OFAC and may encounter difficulties obtaining insurance coverage. Narcotics interdiction operations by the US Coast Guard and regional navies can result in vessel boardings and delays that affect commercial schedules.
The US Coast Guard operates its own Port State Control programme rather than participating in a regional MoU. The USCG Port State Control Annual Report publishes detention statistics by flag and class society. ArcNautical evaluates per-vessel detention probability using flag performance (USCG QUALSHIP 21 status where applicable), vessel age, deficiency history, and ownership opacity.
The Caribbean Memorandum of Understanding does not publish a public bulk detention feed. Member states inspect under a harmonised regime aligned with the Tokyo and Paris MoU targeting factors. Vessel-level detention probability is computed by ArcNautical using flag-state performance and on-board condition signals.
Plan and score a voyage using 10 intelligence signals — composite risk, route-level threat exposure, sanctions screening, and fuel/CII estimates.
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