The Port of Pointe-a-Pitre (Port Code:GPPTP) is the main port of call for both passengers and cargo and is the commercial capital of Guadeloupe. The main cargo seaport, de Jarry, is part of the Port of Pointe-a-Pitre and lies on the opposite side of the Bay of Cul-de-Sac Marin. It is the industrial zone for the port and a center for light industry and commerce. Le Gosier is a nearby suburb and seaside resort. In 1999, almost 21 thousand people lived in the city of Pointe-a-Pitre, but over 171 thousand lived in the urban area.
Point-a-Pitre is located at the end of a well sheltered roadstead on the island of Grande-Terre, one of a group of islands which form Guadeloupe. In addition to bulk sugar cargoes and bananas, the port handles minerals, grain, petroleum and general cargo. There is a container terminal at Pointe Jarry used by multipurpose/refrigerated container ships on regular service to Europe.
In  2002, the Interregional Harbour Station at the Port of Pointe-a-Pitre opened with one of the most modern passenger terminals in the area. Traffic soon reached 800 thousand passengers a year. The terminal covers 580 square meters and is fully-equipped for passengers’ comfort with bars and booths for the sale of local crafts. The international zone within the terminal contains four counters for luggage or freight connected to the islands’ express train.
In the Port of Pointe-a-Pitre’s Port of Jarry, three stations specialize in handling bulk cargoes including ore, clinker, oil, cereals, sugar, and agricultural products. There are also three stations specializing in containerized cargo and two stations for conventional cargoes. The container terminals in the Port of Pointe-a-Pitre contain 600 meters of quays. Located in a protected harbor, the channel is dredged to 13 meters.