Freight Shipping from Miami to the Windward Islands: Grenada, St. Vincent and Dominica (2026)

Shipping to the Windward Islands from South Florida works differently than shipping to Jamaica or the Dominican Republic. Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Dominica are smaller markets served by feeder tonnage, often on a weekly or fortnightly rotation and frequently relayed through a larger Caribbean hub. That means less flexibility on sailing dates, tighter cutoffs, and a real payoff for shippers who plan a month ahead instead of a week.

The three destinations

• Grenada — the commercial port at St. George’s handles the island’s container traffic, with Carriacou served onward by inter-island craft.
• St. Vincent and the Grenadines — Kingstown is the port of entry; Bequia, Union Island and the other Grenadines are fed from there.
• Dominica — Woodbridge Bay at Roseau is the main cargo port, with continuing reconstruction and resilience work shaping the import mix.

All three are OECS members using the Eastern Caribbean dollar, and all three apply their own customs duty, VAT and service charges on top of CIF value. Your consignee’s broker, not your carrier, determines the landed cost.

Routing out of South Florida

Service to the Windwards generally originates at PortMiami, Port Everglades or the Port of Palm Beach, and many bookings relay through a hub before the final island call. Compare your options in our guides to PortMiami vs. Port Everglades and the Port of Palm Beach. Always confirm which port your booking actually loads from before you dispatch a truck.

Because volumes per shipper are usually small, LCL dominates this lane. Cargo is received at a Miami container freight station, consolidated with other island-bound freight and loaded to the feeder. Our walkthrough of Caribbean export consolidation from Miami explains the cutoffs and the cost drivers.

What ships well on this lane

Building materials, generators and electrical equipment, food and beverage, hotel and restaurant supply, vehicle parts, and personal effects for returning nationals make up most of the volume. Vehicles move in containers or on RoRo depending on the service — our comparison of RoRo vs. container for cars to the Caribbean covers the tradeoff, and shipping household goods to the Caribbean covers barrels and personal effects.

Paperwork that keeps clearance moving

• Commercial invoice with HS codes, country of origin and clear unit values
• Packing list that matches the invoice, piece for piece
• Bill of lading with the consignee’s full legal name and TIN
• CARICOM certificate of origin where a preference applies
• Permits for food, plants, agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals and telecom equipment

Undervaluing an invoice to reduce duty is the fastest way to get a shipment held and reassessed. Declare accurately and budget the duty properly.

Hurricane season changes the plan

From June through November, schedule reliability on eastern Caribbean feeders drops and post-storm relief cargo can crowd out commercial bookings. Ship non-urgent inventory early in the year, keep safety stock on the island where storage allows, and if you are moving emergency supplies, read our notes on hurricane relief cargo from Miami.

Frequently asked questions

How often do vessels sail from Miami to Grenada, St. Vincent and Dominica?

Service is typically weekly or fortnightly on feeder tonnage, and many bookings relay through a larger Caribbean hub before the island call. Frequency varies by carrier and season, so confirm the sailing and the cutoff at booking.

Is LCL or a full container better for the Windward Islands?

Most shippers on this lane use LCL, because per-shipment volumes are small and consolidation out of a Miami CFS is frequent. A full container makes sense once you can fill most of a 20-foot box or when your cargo cannot share space.

Who pays duty and VAT on arrival?

The consignee normally pays duty, VAT and port charges in the destination country unless you have agreed a delivered-duty-paid arrangement. Confirm the Incoterm in writing before you quote a landed price to your buyer.

Consolidate your island cargo in Miami

Go Freight receives, palletizes, crates and consolidates Caribbean export freight at 3300 NW 110 St, Miami, FL 33167. Request a freight quote or call (786) 445-0150.