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Over 400 unclaimed vessels in BVI, Shipping Registry issues ‘urgent’ call

Photo provided

After some 16 months after Hurricane Irma, more than 400 unclaimed vessels, or just about, are on the verge of being written off as ‘derelict’ or ‘abandoned’ vessels in the territory.

The Virgin Islands Shipping Registry (VISR) has therefore issued what it is describing as an “urgent” message to owners of these vessels to make contact with VISR’s Receiver of Wrecks.

VISR has since compiled a number of lists of suspected abandoned or derelict vessels.

The first list comprised approximately 300 vessels while another two comprises 80 and 36 additional vessels, respectively.

If left unclaimed, the recently-implement Disaster Management (Amendment) Act gives government the authority to declare the vessels as derelicts. Once declared, they will then be removed from the territory. The owners or insurers would still be required to pay for the costs incurred for removing and disposing of the said vessels, plus a penalty.

VISR is advising owners in question to review the lists to see whether their vessels have been listed.

See listed vessels below.

List Number 1
List Number 2
List Number 3

The aforesaid Disaster Management Act states that if the owners or insurers do not remove and dispose of the vessel within 60 days from the date of issue of a notice, then the Receiver of Wrecks may take possession of the vessel and remove or sell or dispose of the vessel as is considered necessary.

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9 Comments

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  1. Retired says:

    Please VISR just enforce the 2018 Disaster Management(Amendment)Act and remove these eyesore derelict vessels. The owners are NEVER going to take responsibility so stop wasting time with ‘urgent’ calls and clean up the shorelines and waters of the BVI.

  2. Anonymous says:

    The Owners of these boats are long gone and have no intention of paying anything. If they received insurance money they took it and have a new boat on another island. Most just walked away. It’s been over a year. They have no interest. Engage a company and give them the boats at no charge. Just have them remove them from the Territory

  3. MY TAKE says:

    Can’t these vessels be auctioned off and make money off them? instead of considering them as derelict.

  4. Do what's Right says:

    In the photo, behind the sailboat, I see a go fast and a small power boat. The first is almost certainly locally owned and probably the second is, as well. Are you saying that these people cannot be compelled to clean up their wreckage? Or is attention to be automatically focused on ex-pats?

  5. Albion says:

    We need to get the place cleaned up and get rid of these derelicts. They are unsafe, and this is supposed to be a tourist destination. Just clear them away, and when you find the owners, send them the bill.

  6. Update says:

    One boat on this list will be racing in the round tortola race on Saturday. You were told to take it off the list . Do your job.

  7. Auction says:

    Gather and put them on auction after have all legal parameters covered.

  8. Wow says:

    And??? What about the cars all over
    Scrap! That looks better

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