Curaçao is often described as an island of rural charm with cosmopolitan sophistication. The beaches are truly secluded, while the landscape is sprinkled with stately mansions. The crystal clear seawater reflects the pastel colors of the Dutch/Caribbean Architecture. These unusual contrasts blend together to make Curaçao. Situated off the coast of Central and South America, the island is truly multicultural and is characterized by a unique heritage of African, British, French, Dutch, and Indian cultures. This island is unspoiled with charm and sophistication. Historical Willemstad is registered on UNESCO's world heritage list. Curaçao's People, Culture, History, Art and Architecture are themselves a study in contrasts; blended together they create a potpourri of stimuli which in the aggregate can best be described as "The Curaçao Experience". Still home to the oldest active synagogue in the Western Hemisphere, Curaçao clings proudly to its history and culture. In fact, Curaçao has more museums per capita than any country. The downtown district is filled with sophisticated shops with a vast array of duty-free merchandise, quaint restaurants and cafes sheltered in the cooling shadows of the restored Water Fort arches, busy hotels, nightclubs and casinos -- all of the style and sophistication of a European city in a tropical island setting.
Sophisticated Financial Sector
Curaçao’s financial services sector is quite advanced and many of the world’s leading financial institutions and non banking financial intermediaries have offices in Willemstad. The financial sector is supported by a number of international and local banks offering a wide scale of internationally required services. All of the larger international audit firms are represented in Curaçao. Legal practitioners and tax advisors are sophisticated in providing expert advice in the fields of international corporate and tax law. Curaçao’s banks, trust offices like Unlimited Trust Curacao, and other financial institutions have the resources and technical capabilities to accommodate all the requirements of its international clientele and their various methods of payment.
Curacao was, for the second year in a row selected as the top location for hedge Funds by the Global Custodian Hedge Fund Survey. Outperforming Singapore, Dublin, Toronto, Hong Kong, Luxembourg, Amsterdam and the Cayman Islands, to name just a few.
Legislation
Curaçao forms an integral part of a larger whole, The Kingdom of the Netherlands and the European Union, nurturing a greater degree of comfort to investors as opposed to independent territories. As a Netherlands’s protectorate we enjoy European Union market privileges. Curaçao's legal system is based on the Dutch Civil law system, with some English common law influence.
Most importantly, a safe rule of law applies with ultimate recourse being an appeal to the Netherlands Supreme Court in the Hague.
Multilingual Workforce
With a multilingual population of 150,000, speaking English, Spanish, and Dutch, Curaçao enjoys a multilingual, highly educated and technically proficient workforce ready to help you take the next corporate level.
Modern Airport
Hato international Airport is a modern international airport, equipped for all types of aircraft and has direct connection with Europe as well as with North, Central and South America. The 3410 meters (11118 feet) long runway is one of the longest of the Caribbean airports. Daily flights to the Netherlands, USA and lots of other destinations are offered from and to Curaçao.
Deep Water Ports
Curaçao is home to three commercial deep water ports that can accommodate extremely large vessels of any size or scale not able to enter the Port of Willemstad. Clearance, port administration and regulations in these ports are the same as in Port of Willemstad.
The ports are: St. Michiel Bay which offers a mooring buoy facility and is chiefly used for maintenance and underwater inspections and as a hurricane shelter or as a "parking lot". This bay is ideal for special type vessels, such as SSCV (semi-submersible crane vessel) Balder. The SSCV Balder has an overall length of 505 ft., width of 282 ft., and draft of 36-90 ft. Handling of cargo can be carried out by way of barges and pilotage is compulsory. Caracas Bay has two concrete jetties, and can accommodate all types of vessels with maximum depths of 13.7m. and maximum LOA of 320 m. This bay is best used for maintenance, repair, and underwater operations. It's easily accessible from open sea and offers a safe environment for both ship and crew. Bullen Bay, is managed by Refineria Isla Curaçao N.V., and is used for bunkering of large oil tankers. The terminal has three VLCC T-head jetties and three LR T-head jetties and can accommodate vessels of all size and fresh water, power and bunkering facilities for all grades are available. Pilotage is also compulsory and available 24 hours a day.
Internet and IT infrastructure
Clearly the best in the Caribbean for equipment co-location. Most co-location areas are located adjacent to the fiber landing points in Curaçao. The Internet connections to Curaçao have recently been upgraded to 3 (three) separate STM-1 routes via multiple marine fiber cables. To assure redundant Internet connectivity, the traffic can be routed via multiple paths on the ARCOS-ring network (New World Network), and the Americas-II fiber cable system (United Telecom Services) to the Network Access Points located in the USA, with backhaul contracts and a proprietary ring network interconnecting the IP POP's in Miami, Boca Raton and North Miami Beach.
Most data-centers have redundant Gigabit backhaul connections to the marine fiber cable heads in Curaçao.The best facilities are completely secured in fully climate controlled co-location areas that requires biometric ID-verification for access throughout the building. Secured 19" APC cabinets stand in High Security area, with escorted access and video monitoring. These areas is monitored by VESDA fire-detection systems and protected by an Inergen fire suppression system. The power distribution is through redundant APC UPS systems (InfraStruXure family), with dual backup diesel generators.
