About Us

 

Caribe Nautical Services is a family-owned and managed ships' agency, founded in the Port of Key West in 1981. Our family has played a significant role in the Key West maritime community since the early 1920's. In 1981, Key West was nearly a dormant port and much of our work entailed unscheduled and emergency offshore services to merchant vessels operating in the Florida Straits, Yucatan Channel and the southeastern Gulf of Mexico.

 

Since that time, Caribe Nautical has played an integral role in the revitalization of Key West as an active seaport, working closely with the City of Key West and the cruise industry. Our professional boarding agents now manage over 350 cruiseship port calls each year, representing every major cruise line operating in the Caribbean. In addition, we provide port agency services to a diverse clientele including merchant ships of all types, offshore tow boats and barges, research vessels, super yachts, as well as U.S. Navy and NATO warships and auxiliary vessels.

 

Cuba and Key West have been closely associated for nearly two hundred years. As Cuba again becomes a more viable port-of-call for passenger and pleasure vessels, Caribe Nautical is strategically positioned to provide assistance and important services to ships transiting to and from northern Cuban ports.

 

Working from our pier side offices, the Caribe Nautical team of four full-time boarding agents, supported by a professional management and office staff provide service to client ships on a 24-hour/7-day basis. The office and agents are equipped with modern communications, enabling client companies and ships' staffs to receive immediate attendance.

 

Because we remain a small, focused company that has been part of the Key West community for over three decades, Caribe Nautical is able to consistently apply our original mission statement to our operations: Quite simply, our mission is to provide a timely, personalized service to all of our clients, large or small. Ship owners and managers can be assured that when their ships are in Key West waters, they will have the best information, contracted services and local knowledge available to enable a safe and cost effective port call.