BVI and USVI agree to reciprocal certification for commercial vessels
The BVI and United States Virgin Islands have agreed to a reciprocal certification where both territories will recognise licenses issued by the relevant authorities for commercial vessels.
Speaking at a one-on-one media session earlier today, the Premier said the reciprocal certifications means, “US vessels holding Commercial Vessel Licensing Authority Code Safety certificates will be recognised by Virgin Islands Shipping Registry (VISR) as having valid safety certificates issued by their flag and vice versa”.
Fahie said this indicates that BVI commercial vessels can carry 12 passengers into US waters once they hold a code certificate issued by VISR.
“Before, there were restrictions and now, we can say that there has been progress to allow our local marine industry to thrive,” the Premier said.
Fahie said local water taxis were able to carry 12 passengers but there were certain areas that the United States decided was not the law and it ended to enforce it properly.
“[This] reduced our water taxi down to six or less persons which were not economical for them. Our local entrepreneurs made representation to many of our ministers and many of our elected officials on the government side and one of them who led the charge was Honourable Kye Rymer who came and spoke on their behalf,” Fahie said.
The Premier noted that the territorial At-Large representatives along with Rymer negotiated with the United States and it bore some fruitful meetings.
One of the areas was to ask Customs and Virgin Islands Shipping Registry to have dialogue, and [they and the] US authorities had some fruitful dialogue, and they were able to agree that it should be 12 passengers for the water taxis going and 12 passengers for the water taxis coming. So, it turned out to be a very successful negotiation,” Fahie said.
The Premier noted his government remains committed to working towards the further development and improvement of the maritime industry in the territory.
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Big whoop. He outed a fire which he himself lit.
When are we going to make it easy for the foreign yachts to come and spend money in our economy? This temporary trade license and work permit business is not working. These are not BVI businesses.
so why are they harassing charter companies to be in compliance and the BVI does not have the equipment for these boats to be in compliance. total nonsense. whatever equipment charter boats need and it is not available in BVI then custom should have it to sell since they want those stuff on the boats. I wonder if any provision is being made at SSB to pay workers if they decided to closed down any charter companies.
Free up the USVI charter boats that you guys restricted from coming to BVI since Covid ??. This is only the beginning you are telling the USVI charter boats that they are allowed 7 trips per year to enter the BVI while our water taxi commercial vessels going into the USVI every day. Didn’t you guys think that this would become an issue ?. Who advising and making these decisions? USVI/DHS/US Coast Guard has no other choice than to put pressure on BVI/WaterTaxi they seeing our boats entering St John every day and their boats park up Red Hook on trailers because of this retarded move by Wade and Premier. Governor Byran getting pressure to act on banning commercial vessels/ water taxi from entering USVI if BVI don’t free up USVI charter boat. These folks open up a big can of worms. $4.00 fee was waive for a boat that was registered as a commercial vessel so basically if your boat is charter boat and you decide that you wanted to go Norman Island for the day with your family. Your family would be exempted from the $4.00 but every other person on that charter boat has to pay you $4.00. Madness?♂️ BVI ain’t a real place money do these people in high authority something ?♂️
So didn’t the usvi had restrictions too ???????
All them charter boats here not in compliance should register theur boat in USVI them come over now.
Can we please fully open up the ports and let the ferries get back to their normal schedules. Please and thanks.
Seems this day is long gone while BVI and USVI in a head to head duel to over regulate all passenger carrying vessels in each others waters. No other group of islands in the world have created so many useless regulations, fees and paperwork for their marine tourists. BVI no longer the sailing capital but the marine red tape and fee capital of the world.
can someone in charge of custom get their acts together. everyday is something everyone there is saying different
all of them going late to work. Now they not issuing permits for charter boats. imagine tourist save for years to come here to have a nice sailing vacation and they cannot leave the dock. is that one love bvi or tourism friendly. is this how you attract tourist by killing the sailing industry. what does tourist board now have to say about this when they go overseas to promote bvi.
Governor Bryan needs to come back at the BVI with whatever they make the USVI do and pay in the BVI. Enough is enough. BVI comes to the USVI for shopping, airport, medical and whatever… no charge, every day using our services, but going to the the BVI for USVI is ridiculous and expensive with extra fees and all sorts of crazy red tape. The fair thing to do is whatever restrictions the BVI puts on USVI, the USVI does the same to BVI. It’s the only way to stop this crazy sk**tery going on over there.