Commewijne has all the makings to emerge as the new economic heart of Suriname. Thanks to the emerging offshore activities and the abundance of undeveloped land, this district creates excellent prospects for a variety of sectors. Moreover, it is strategically located right on Paramaribo's doorstep.
Strategic growth plan presented
During the Suriname Energy, Oil & Gas Summit (SEOGS), Farsi Khudabux, CEO of Baitali Group of Companies, explained his vision for a phased development of Commewijne. Under the name "Dort," Baitali and technical partner Firm Engineering are working on a special port complex for the oil and gas sector.
The construction site at Plantation Dordrecht extends over four hundred acres, with the first twenty acres already in use. By the third quarter of 2026, two moorings should be operational here, following an investment of some 50 million US dollars. Eventually - within three years - the promoters are aiming for five moorings and expansion to about one hundred acres, including facilities such as a helicopter pad.
Multiple players, one ambition
Besides Dort, other parties are stirring in Commewijne. For example, Commewijne Port Facility near the estuary recently secured a 50% interest through investor Kersten. Across the Commewijne River, Vabi is also developing business parks, while HJ de Vries and DP World's project at Suzanna's Daal is on hold for now due to legal hurdles.
Why Commewijne?
The attractiveness of Commewijne is clear: direct access to the sea via the Suriname and Commewijne Rivers, space for extensive quays and sufficient expansion possibilities. In Paramaribo itself, port activities have been limited for years by contiguous development and logistical bottlenecks. Expansion there would be unaffordable and socially sensitive, warns Khudabux. In Commewijne, on the other hand, a thoughtful zoning plan allows for both industrial zones and residential and recreational areas without interfering with each other. The planning provides for a multifunctional district including business services, hotels as well as agricultural plots in the eastern part.
Infrastructure and timeline to 2050
In the short term, Baitali is exploring the construction of a ferry connection in the northern part of Commewijne to relieve the Wijdenbosch Bridge. Longer-term plans include two additional bridges over the Suriname River: one at Leonsberg and a second at Dijkveld, connecting to the Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport at Zanderij.
Khudabux counts to 2050 in his roadmap. He calls for intensive cooperation between government, entrepreneurs and civil society organizations to broadly anchor the master plan. "The government should take the lead, but we are already behind. Speculators are ahead of us, so we have to move forward now."
Phased funding
About the capital injections, Khudabux is adamant: a phased approach is crucial. "Not everything needs to be financed at once, provided there is a clear roadmap." He expects at least two more major investment decisions to follow within two to three years, with lenders gaining confidence in Suriname's scope.
Finally, Khudabux emphasizes that the Dort proposal is a blueprint - a starting point that policymakers and the incoming coalition will need to further develop and implement. "This is not an end point, but a starting point for sustainable growth in Commewijne," he said.
