Restoring a Princess

On September 6, 2017 the Princess Juliana International Airport in Sint Maarten suffered significant damage when Hurricane Irma struck the island as a Category 5 hurricane. Wind-speeds of more than 185 miles/hrs. (296 km/hrs.) were recorded. Ten days later, the already compromised infrastructure was further compromised by Hurricane Maria. The roof of the terminal building was blown off; the entrance doors caved in and the inside of the terminal was battered. With most of the roof missing and exposed to the elements like rain and sea spray from the massive sea waves. This resulted in significant damage to equipment and electronics on all levels of the terminal.

The series "Restoring a Princess" takes you behind the scenes of the reconstruction process of the Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM). From the roof to the basement, from departure to arrival we'll show you all the hard work and dedication in getting the Princess back to her glory. This project was funded by the World Bank (WB) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) through a loan from the Government of Sint Maarten to the SXM Airport.