Ferries affected – USVI declares state of emergency

Another ferry company has notified the public that there will be no service on Tuesday (September 5) between the British Virgin Islands and the US Virgin Islands (USVI).

Virgin Gorda Transport (Speedy’s), like Native Son, declared that the decision is based on the fact that ports in the USVI will be closed Tuesday in anticipation of Hurricane Irma.

The closure of ports in that neighbouring territory will make it impossible for other ferries companies to operate.

Speedy’s, in a notice today, said all services to the USVI have been suspended until its next scheduled trip to St Thomas on Saturday, September 9.

Earlier, Native Son also announced that all of its trips scheduled for the USVI on Tuesday have been scrapped. It said there was no operation of departures from Charlotte Amalie, USVI, today. However, there was regular operation from Red Hook.

Both the British Virgin Islands and the USVI have been under hurricane watch since late this morning.

In the USVI, Governor Kenneth Mapp declared that a state of emergency will become effective overnight – exactly at the start of Tuesday.

Forecasters predict that the eye of the hurricane will be some 40 miles north of St Thomas, USVI, resulting in potential winds as high as 80 miles per hour, with gusts possibly being higher.

“Forty miles north of St Thomas is not a lot of distance,” Governor Mapp cautioned. “We want the people of the Virgin Islands to be prepared. We have the experience going through hurricanes, and we know that preparation and vigilance is the success to getting through hurricane weather.”