According to US’s Virgin Islands Governor, Albert Bryan, the US Virgin Islands aim to be placed as the number one tourism destination in the Caribbean by employing robust public-private partnerships.
Specifically, Governor Bryan spoke at Seatrade Cruise Global in Miami last week highlighting that
As we build this new Virgin Islands product and we recover from two hurricanes, our main push is to make St. Thomas the premier port in the Virgin Islands, to solidify an identity for St. Croix, whether it’s in Christiansted with our small cruise ship industry or in Frederiksted with the expansion of our port and what we are doing in the town.
The US Virgin Islands will remain competitive and will also look for public-private partnerships. In the meantime, the islands will find creative ways of securing financing.
Additionally, the Governor is thinking of adding extra ports of call to the Territory’s harbors.
As the Governor stated in the conference, he is looking for ways to increase cruise visitors to St. Croix by accommodating larger cruise ships at the Ann E. Abramson Marine Facility in Frederiksted.
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The board has already approved a proposal to analyze the feasibility of berthing Quantum class vessels at the Abramson pier.
The port Authority is also experiencing a progress with the permanent repairs of its 119 facilities damaged in the hurricanes of September 2017 as the building of a new Customs and Border Protection Building, Cruz Bay, St. John, which should be ready for occupancy by September 2019.
Additionally, the port Authority builds a new Customs and Border Protection Building, Cruz Bay, St. John, which should be ready for occupancy by September 2019.
Concluding, a new office and cargo warehouse is being designed at Wilfred Allick Port and Transsshipment Center, St. Cruoix to replace the Containerport building that was completely damaged in the storms. Construction is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2019.
