UAL has introduced the UAL Caribbean Shuttle, a fixed 9-day loop service linking Point Lisas , Georgetown, and Paramaribo . The new service responds to increasing demand for reliable, multipurpose shipping options in the Southern Caribbean.

The shuttle will be operated by the newly delivered mv UAL Transporter, a landing craft vessel with a shallow 5-meter draft (at max loading capacity) and a capacity of 387 TEU. Purpose-built for regional conditions, the vessel allows access not only to major terminals but also to river ports at Georgetown and Paramaribo, where draft limitations often restrict larger tonnage.

Cargo mix
The UAL Caribbean Shuttle is designed to handle a broad mix of cargoes:

• Containers: FCL imports such as food, machinery and consumer goods.
• RoRo cargo: vehicles, trucks, construction and mining equipment.
• Breakbulk: steel, pipes, fertilizers, construction materials and project cargo.

Scheduled 9-day rotation
“Traders and forwarders in these markets have long asked for a fixed, reliable short-sea option,” said Martijn Hordijk, Project Manager of UAL. “With a scheduled 9-day rotation and the ability to load all cargo types, the UAL Caribbean Shuttle provides the consistency exporters and importers need. The service will be managed locally by UAL Trinidad, supported by the head office in The Netherlands.”

Regional trade

Trinidad & Tobago serves as a hub for industrial goods, petrochemicals and consumer cargo. Guyana’s rapidly growing economy is driven by oil development, infrastructure projects and agriculture. Suriname contributes additional trade in rice, bananas, timber and fisheries products. According to the Guyana Rice Development Board, rice exports to Trinidad & Tobago exceeded 30,000 metric tons in 2023, underlining the scale of trade on this corridor. By linking these markets on a single, reliable loop, UAL aims to strengthen regional connectivity and support long-term trade growth.