Castries is a city built on history, but much of it is sometimes forgotten or overlooked. Nowhere is that history mixed with mystery more alive than where the sea meets the land: Port Castries. Once celebrated for its intrinsic beauty, the harbour still holds stories and memories that echo along its shoreline.
Some chapters speak of culture meeting commerce, as the area has hosted several cultural events, including the national carnival queen pageant and the king and queen of the bands competition.
Scripted along those story lines are tales of the once notorious “wharf rats”, “matlos” and our own Jean and Dinahs.
Veteran Journalist Earl Bousquet, who grew up in the city not too far from Port Castries, recalls it being jealously regarded as a haven from hurricanes for vessels.
“It was fought over and became the coaling (fuel station) for steamers before diesel, and it is still the most strategic port of call for Atlantic Ocean Navigators,” Bousquet told St Lucia Times.
“Even today, Port Castries continues to make its mark as a bustling seaport for trade and cruise, and it is the Port which symbolises the start of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers every year,” he adds.
For centuries, Port Castries has been recognised as a crucial and strategic port not just for Saint Lucia, but for the colonial powers – the British and the French. It was originally named Le Carenage (the careening place or safe anchorage) by the French during World War II.
The port grew in reputation as the only one in the Eastern Caribbean capable of accommodating the largest warships during certain colonial periods.
Nestled within a former volcanic crater, Port Castries served as a critical 19th-century British coal port before becoming a strategic war base.
“The fact that it was the chief coaling station really drew attention to the port,” Margot Thomas, historian and national archivist, told St Lucia Times.
“During the 19th century, Castries became a critical coaling station for ships, making this a major economic activity for the colonials,” she said.
A western wharf was constructed in 1835 to facilitate the coal trade. The first steamship, the RMS Solway, arrived in the harbour in 1841.
But while its history is marked primarily by trade and tourism, Port Castries also bears the scars of war.
The bombing of the SS Umtata that took place in the harbour in 1942 by a German U-boat is one such dark tale. As it goes, the daring attack took place on the night of March 9-10, when the Umtata, a British cargo ship, was torpedoed while docked alongside the RMS Lady Nelson at the Southern Wharf in Port Castries. The attack resulted in the loss of four crew members, four gunners and 33 passengers, whose remains were later laid at the Choc cemetery.
By the late 1930s, coal exports were waning as the country shifted its focus to sugarcane cultivation. By the 1950s, sugar cane had given way to bananas, and in 1954, Saint Lucia began exporting “green gold”, as it was referred to, through Geest Industries. Once again, on banana days, Port Castries came alive, with a queue of vehicles even before the boat had arrived.
This marked a significant turning point in Saint Lucia’s economy, and Port Castries played an integral role, with the well-known Geest Banana Shed at Berth 6 serving as a storage facility for thousands of boxes of bananas before they were packed onto Europe-bound ships.
Following independence in 1979, the island began to diversify its economy, moving slowly, at first, into tourism. Importantly, whereas a Cunard steam ship was part of the coaling history of Port Castries, Cunard later became the first cruise company to make regular calls at Port Castries.
Today, it is a major player in the tourism industry. The Port welcomes numerous cruise vessels each year, particularly during the winter. In fact, figures just released by the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority reveal that the island welcomed 150,323 cruise passengers in January, the majority coming through Port Castries.
The management of Port Castries falls within the purview of the Saint Lucia Air and Seaports Authority (SLASPA), established in 1983.
SLASPA and Castries Port have received global recognition and last year won the Caribbean Shipping Association’s Nathan Dundas Cruise Port of the Year Award.
In 2023, the Government of Saint Lucia entered into an agreement with Global Port Holdings, listed as the world’s largest independent cruise port operator, to redevelop Port Castries. The project will include infrastructure upgrades to the Castries waterfront that encompasses the harbour.
In a media brief sent to St Lucia Times, Saint Lucia Cruise Port (SLCP) confirmed that it will integrate the history of Port Castries into the project.
“Saint Lucia Cruise Port welcomes the growing public interest in the history of Port Castries and appreciates the opportunity to clarify how heritage considerations are being explored for incorporation into the ongoing waterfront transformation,” the statement said.
It went on to underscore the Port’s and Castries’ rich and layered history, from maritime trade and wartime significance to cultural evolution and community identity.
“This heritage is an essential part of what makes the destination unique, and SLCP believes it should be meaningfully reflected in the future of the waterfront.”
Officials believe that embedding authentic historical narratives will enhance the visitor experience by creating a more immersive and educational environment.
As Saint Lucia celebrates its 47th independence anniversary, Port Castries, which has helped shape our nation, will continue to play a significant role in our nation’s future.
Flanked by the Vigie Lighthouse, war barracks and a city whose soul not even a fire could extinguish, Port Castries continues to speak.
