01Key Takeaways
- Curaçao imported $1.00 billion worth of goods in 2020, down 16.5% from $1.20 billion in 2019.
- The United States was the top supplier by far, providing 35.2% of imports, worth $353.0 million.
- Machinery and mechanical appliances led import categories at 10.6% of value, worth $106.6 million.
- The United States, the Netherlands, and Panama together supplied 67.3% of Curaçao's imports in 2020.
022-Year Trend
| Year | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Value | $1.2B | $1.0B |
03Top Import Markets (2020)
| Rank | Partner | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | $353.0M | 35.2% |
| 2 | Netherlands | $259.5M | 25.9% |
| 3 | Panama | $63.1M | 6.3% |
| 4 | China | $55.2M | 5.5% |
| 5 | Colombia | $30.2M | 3.0% |
| 6 | Brazil | $27.4M | 2.7% |
| 7 | Caribbean Netherlands | $25.4M | 2.5% |
| 8 | Dominican Republic | $15.5M | 1.5% |
| 9 | Mexico | $14.4M | 1.4% |
| 10 | Venezuela | $12.8M | 1.3% |
04Top Import Categories (2020)
| Rank | Category | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nuclear Reactors, Boilers, Machinery and Mechanical Appliances; Parts thereof | $106.6M | 10.6% |
| 2 | Electrical Machinery and Equipment and parts thereof; Sound Recorders and Reproducers, Television Image and Sound Recorders and Reproducers, and Parts and Accessories of such Articles | $67.4M | 6.7% |
| 3 | Vehicles other than Railway or Tramway Rolling-Stock, and parts and accessories thereof | $64.3M | 6.4% |
| 4 | Pharmaceutical Products | $53.6M | 5.3% |
| 5 | Ships, Boats and Floating Structures | $48.6M | 4.8% |
| 6 | Meat and Edible Meat Offal | $45.2M | 4.5% |
| 7 | Beverages, Spirits and Vinegar | $45.0M | 4.5% |
| 8 | Optical, Photographic, Cinematographic, Measuring, Checking, Precision, Medical or Surgical Instruments and Apparatus; Parts and Accessories thereof | $32.7M | 3.3% |
| 9 | Plastics and Articles thereof | $30.6M | 3.1% |
| 10 | Articles of Iron or Steel | $29.5M | 2.9% |
05Trade Partner Map
06Analysis
The United States and the Netherlands Supply Two-Thirds of Imports
Curaçao imported $1.00 billion worth of goods in 2020. That was down 16.5% from $1.20 billion the year before. The United States took the largest share by a wide margin. It supplied 35.2% of total import value, worth $353.0 million. Netherlands followed at 25.9% ($259.5 million). Together, the United States and the Netherlands supplied more than 61% of everything Curaçao brought in from abroad. Panama ranked third at 6.3% ($63.1 million). The three combined took 67.3% of total import value.
Panama's Colón Free Zone functions as one of the Western Hemisphere's largest re-export hubs. Goods often pass through Panama before reaching their final Caribbean buyer. That can inflate Panama's apparent share in a small neighbor's import statistics. China ranked fourth at 5.5% ($55.2 million). Colombia supplied 3.0% ($30.2 million), and Brazil followed at 2.7% ($27.4 million). Caribbean Netherlands supplied 2.5% ($25.4 million), just ahead of the Dominican Republic at 1.5% ($15.5 million). Mexico and Venezuela rounded out the top ten, at 1.4% ($14.4 million) and 1.3% ($12.8 million).
Machinery and Vehicles Lead a Mix That Also Feeds the Shipyard
Machinery and mechanical appliances topped Curaçao's import categories in 2020. The category cost $106.6 million, worth 10.6% of total import value. Electrical machinery followed at 6.7% ($67.4 million), and vehicles added a further 6.4% ($64.3 million). Pharmaceutical products contributed 5.3% ($53.6 million).
Ships, boats and floating structures ranked fifth at 4.8% ($48.6 million). Damen Shiprepair Curaçao, the region's largest drydock, needs a steady supply of imported parts and materials to keep servicing vessels from across the Caribbean. That import flow mirrors the same industry that leads Curaçao's export list. Meat and edible meat offal added 4.5% ($45.2 million), and beverages, spirits and vinegar contributed a close 4.5% ($45.0 million). Optical and medical instruments took 3.3% ($32.7 million). Plastics added 3.1% ($30.6 million), and iron or steel articles closed out the top ten at 2.9% ($29.5 million).
Only Two Confirmed Years of Data Are Available
Confirmed import data for Curaçao currently covers just two years, 2019 and 2020, rather than a longer multi-year trend. Imports stood at $1.20 billion in 2019 and fell to $1.00 billion in 2020, a 16.5% decline. That drop lines up with the same global disruption that pulled down Curaçao's exports the same year. Beyond these two data points, a longer trend cannot be confirmed from the available figures. For a closer look at how individual partner countries or product categories moved, the data panels above provide the full detail behind these figures.