Compagnie Des Iles Du Nord: The Cargo Line That Quietly Keeps St Barth Stocked
A working freight boat, not a tourist ferry — and the reason your villa fridge is full.
Why Go
Everyone books the Great Bay Express or a private launch and never thinks about how the case of Bordeaux, the new rattan sofa, or the replacement scooter actually got to the rock. CIN is the answer. Since 1997 this family-run maritime freight outfit has been shuttling containers, pallets, vehicles and relocation loads between Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint-Martin and Saint-Barth, and if you own property here — or you're moving in — their Gustavia office on Rue Stephen Atwater is one of the most useful addresses on the island.
The Experience
Walk into the CIN office and you'll immediately understand this isn't a slick tourist counter — it's a working shipping desk. A whiteboard tracks sailings, someone is on the phone in rapid French sorting customs paperwork for a Guadeloupe outbound, and the vibe is more Caribbean logistics-hub than concierge. Their vessels are closed, wind- and waterproof cargo boats that run inter-island on a repeatable rhythm out of Baie-Mahault (Guadeloupe HQ) via Pointe-à-Pitre, feeding into Saint-Martin and finally Saint-Barth. For most travellers you'll never set foot inside; but if you're relocating, importing a car, sending a container of furniture ahead of a villa handover, or shipping a pallet of wine or restaurant supply, this is the operator local businesses actually use.
What to Try
Ask for a devis (quote) for a 20' or 40' container from Pointe-à-Pitre if you're moving household goods — it's dramatically cheaper than air freight and CIN handles the customs paperwork end-to-end. For smaller loads, request grouped/consolidated pallet pricing on the Guadeloupe–St Barth leg. If you're shipping a vehicle or scooter, CIN is the standard route. Restaurant and villa managers use them for dry goods, refrigerated product, construction materials and heavy equipment that won't fit on the Winair belly or the passenger ferry.
Insider Tip
This is NOT a passenger ferry — do not show up expecting to buy a ticket to Saint-Martin. For that, you want Great Bay Express or Voyager down the quay. CIN's real edge is their 'single point of contact' case management: one file, one person, from pickup in Guadeloupe or Martinique through customs clearance in Gustavia. Call ahead on 09 74 56 88 24 (or email ilesdunord@wanadoo.fr) before walking in — sailings are scheduled, not on-demand, and the office keeps mainland French working hours (Mon–Fri, closed weekends), so a Friday-afternoon walk-in with an urgent shipment rarely ends well.
The Practical Stuff
Address: Rue Stephen Atwater, Gustavia 97133, Saint-Barthélemy. Hours: Monday–Friday, 07:30–16:00; closed Saturday and Sunday. Phone: 09 74 56 88 24. Email: ilesdunord@wanadoo.fr (general) or jeremy.ramaye.cin@orange.fr (case handling). Website: compagnie-des-iles-du-nord.fr. Payment and quotes handled in EUR; bring passport + property/residence documents for customs paperwork. Gustavia harbour is walkable from most downtown hotels; parking on Rue Stephen Atwater is tight — grab a spot on the quay side.
Pair It With
- Aéroport de Saint-Barthélemy / Rémy de Haenen Airport Guide — The other half of the island's supply chain — CIN handles what won't fit on a Twin Otter, and vice versa. Useful to know both if you're coordinating a move or a big villa delivery.
- À Vos Marques Guide — A short walk in Gustavia for the paperwork essentials — pens, folders, printing — you'll wish you'd brought when filing customs docs at the CIN counter.
- Abyss Restaurant Guide — After a morning wrestling with bills of lading, drop into this Gustavia spot for a proper sit-down lunch and a rosé before the afternoon office reopens.
