Tourism expert Juan Llado in a recent feature in Acento on 12 June 2025 raises the issue of private investors interested in building a new cruise terminal for the capital city of Santo Domingo. Llado looks into the failed attempt by the Inversiones Turisticas de Sans Souci (ITSS) company to install one on the Ozama River. This initiative did not succeed because of the difficulties in dealing with all the debris and garbage that the river brings. Likewise, the proposed 40-floor residential towers included in the development were objected by Unesco that oversees the Colonial City given the Cultural Heritage of Humanity status of the historic city area.
Now, there are different offers for the construction of a large cruise ship terminal on the south side of the sea, connected to the sea-bordering Malecon (George Washington Avenue). The offers come at a time when the Dominican Republic is on its way to be the leading cruise ship destination in the Caribbean, with several new ports receiving maritime visitors.
Santo Domingo Mar is one of these new projects with a proposed access from Plaza Juan Baron on the south side of the city. Another is that announced by the Dominican Port Authority to be built in front of the Hotel Jaragua (owned by the Dominican government), also on the south side of the city. Llado says it is not clear if this second project would be the same Santo Domingo Mar project that was announced earlier.
Llado understands the latter would be a public-private alliance and calls for attention so that the government gets a good share of the profits.
At present, the capital city’s Sans Souci Tourism Port is used to unload vehicles and other cargo and for servicing the San Juan, Puerto Rico ferry, Ferries del Caribe.
Read more in Spanish:
Acento
Santo Domingo del Mar
El Nuevo Diario
Bill Lockward
17 June 2025