Data Centers in Sint Maarten Dutch

Sint Maarten – Caribbean Gateway for Regional Edge Computing

Strategic Network Intersection

This market serves as a vital network hub for the Northeastern Caribbean, providing essential low-latency connectivity for maritime logistics and regional enterprises. Its strategic position allows for localized traffic handling, ensuring high-speed access for a growing digital economy without the need for constant backhauling to North America.

Sint Maarten: At A Glance

Network & Connectivity Ecosystem

As a digital infrastructure analyst, I view Sint Maarten as a specialized gateway for the Leeward Islands. The infrastructure is purpose-built to handle regional traffic locally.

Carrier Density & Carrier Neutrality: Carrier count: over 5. As of September 2025, the market supports ~5–10 carriers. The primary facility maintains neutrality, allowing for diverse path selection across regional subsea systems.

Direct Cloud On-Ramps: Over 0, enabling access to 0 cloud regions. As of September 2025, there are no native on-ramps. Miami remains the nearest hub city for direct cloud access, usually reached via private wave services or PNI.

Internet Exchange Points (IXPs): OCIX Sint Maarten serves as the primary exchange. It facilitates local peering to reduce latency and keeps Caribbean traffic from hair-pinning through North America.

Bare Metal: Services are available through regional providers and local infrastructure partners. Global providers like Leaseweb offer hardware configurations for rapid deployment in the region as of September 2025.

Power Analysis

Power in Sint Maarten is a significant operational expense that requires careful management.

Average Cost Of Power: Industrial electricity rates are $0.35/kWh, as of September 2025. The generation mix is ≈100% fossil fuel based, primarily diesel and oil. This high cost necessitates a focus on cooling efficiency.

Power Grid Reliability: The grid is well-engineered for a Caribbean island environment. It features redundant configurations in major corridors, though data centers rely on on-site generation to manage hurricane-related outages as of September 2025.

Market Access, Business & Tax Climate

Sint Maarten offers a unique commercial position as a dual-nation island with deep ties to European and North American trade.

Proximity To Key Business Districts: Data centers are centrally located near Philipsburg and the harbor view areas. This proximity is essential for financial services, maritime logistics, and high-end tourism sectors.

Regional Market Reach: The island acts as a central distribution point for data and services across the Northeastern Caribbean, serving as a hub for neighboring islands with less developed infrastructure.

Tax Advantage For Data Centers: The market offers a stable regulatory environment that supports international trade and cross-border connectivity. This stability provides a predictable foundation for digital infrastructure investments as of September 2025.

Natural Disaster Risk

Sint Maarten faces significant environmental challenges that require resilient facility engineering.

Risk Rubric: High (85th percentile), as of September 2025.

Hurricanes: High. This is the primary natural risk, requiring facilities built to withstand Category 5 wind speeds.

Flooding: Moderate. Risk is largely restricted to coastal areas; critical infrastructure is typically placed on higher ground.

Earthquakes: Moderate. Regional seismic activity is a known factor for Caribbean infrastructure as of September 2025.

Other Natural Hazards: Risks from wildfires or droughts are considered minor for data center operations in this geography.