Buyers and the sector regulator
Staatsolie Maatschappij Suriname N.V. The national oil company, 20% partner in GranMorgu and Block 52, and the state's regulator of the offshore sector through production sharing contracts. You meet it as a buyer (register in its SAP Ariba portal to supply it directly) and as the keeper of the Suriname Supplier Registration Portal, which gives the whole sector visibility of your company. staatsolie.com
The operators and their main contractors. TotalEnergies and APA on Block 58, Petronas on Block 52, and the contractors building and running their projects. Each has its own supplier registration and prequalification; a Staatsolie vendor code does not transfer.
Registration and licensing
Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KKF). Mandatory registration for every company and branch, within a week of starting business. Issues the registration number and the extract that banks and buyers ask for. Its register is also where you check a prospective partner. surinamechamber.com
Ministry of Economic Affairs, Entrepreneurship and Technological Innovation (EZOTI). Issues the business licence (Handelsvergunning) for regulated activities and runs the electronic single window for import and export documents. gov.sr
Tax Authority (Belastingdienst). Tax registration, VAT, withholding and the fiscal number you need to invoice.
Foreign Exchange Commission (Valutacommissie) and the Central Bank. Approvals and rules on foreign currency, dividends and capital. Your notary and bank deal with them on your behalf.
Operating
Ministry of Transport, Communication and Tourism (TCT). Policy for ports, shipping, aviation and telecoms, and the ministry the Maritime Authority reports to. A marine or logistics company meets it on anything that needs a policy decision rather than a clearance. gov.sr
Maritime Authority Suriname (MAS). Flag, coastal and port state authority: vessel clearance, pilotage, port notices and the maritime rules a marine operation runs under. mas.sr
Customs (Douane). Import and temporary admission of equipment, bonded storage, and the paperwork every piece of kit needs before it moves. Delays here are the most common cause of a late start.
NIMOS, the National Institute for Environment and Development. Environmental assessment and permits for activity with an environmental footprint. nimos.org
Ministry of Labour, and the immigration service. Work permits for foreign staff and residence permits that go with them.
Promotion and the private sector
Suriname Investment and Trade Agency (SITA). The state's one-stop shop for investors: introductions to ministries and investment procedures. sita.sr
Suriname Trade and Industry Association (VSB). The main employers' and business association, with a young professionals' arm. Its events and members are where local partners are found. vsbstia.org
Ministry of Oil, Gas and Environment. Policy on the sector, including the local content rules now being drafted.
Contact details and names change; check the links before you write. This list is kept current by our team in Paramaribo. If a body you need is missing, ask us.