Gov’t moves to strengthen maritime legislation

The government is changing its maritime laws through the Maritime Law Review Project to improve safety, protect the marine environment, and increase enforcement powers.

Premier and Minister responsible for Maritime Administration and Shipping, Dr Natalio Wheatley, said the changes are crucial to maintain the territory’s international standing in the maritime sector.

“The Virgin Islands is committed to upholding the highest standards in maritime safety, security, and environmental protection,” he stated. “These legislative reforms will not only ensure our compliance with international obligations but also reinforce our ability to effectively regulate, enforce, and support the global maritime industry.”

The Merchant Shipping (Amendment) Bill, 2025, was read for a second time and debated when the House of Assembly resumed yesterday, March 31. The bill amends the Merchant Shipping Act, 2001, to align the Virgin Islands with international conventions under the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Instruments Implementation Code, known as the III Code.

The proposed changes target four key areas. First, they seek to close legislative gaps identified in the III Code audit by updating how international conventions are adopted into national law. A key part of this includes enacting new Merchant Shipping (Safety of Life at Sea) Regulations to replace older UK-adopted regulations. This will ensure the Virgin Islands complies with the latest requirements of the SOLAS Convention.

Second, the bill strengthens enforcement powers. It gives the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force jurisdiction to investigate offences under the Act and empowers officers to investigate criminal offences aboard Virgin Islands-flagged ships in certain cases. These changes are intended to improve how maritime crimes are handled and prosecuted.

The third reform expands who can register ships in the Virgin Islands. The bill allows individuals and companies from Commonwealth countries to be eligible, and it reinstates jurisdictions that were removed from the list in 2022 when the Recognised Jurisdictions list was repealed.

Finally, the bill removes the requirement to consult the UK Secretary of State before enacting local maritime regulations, a move intended to speed up the legislative process.

In addition to the bill, the government will publish adopted legislation and introduce new or amended regulations to give legal effect to several international conventions. These include the International Convention on Load Lines, the Tonnage Measurement Convention, the STCW Convention (with Manila Amendments), MARPOL, and the COLREG Convention.

“Strengthening our legal framework demonstrates our commitment to responsible flag state administration and enhances our position as a premier maritime jurisdiction,” Wheatley asserted.