Sponsored By

Green light for St. Thomas harbor dredging 'big win' for US Virgin Islands

The US Virgin Islands Port Authority received approval from the US Army Corps of Engineers to dredge Charlotte Amalie Harbor to handle larger cruise ships.

Anne Kalosh, Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

July 24, 2024

2 Min Read
CRUISE St Thomas
By making room for larger cruise ships at Charlotte Amalie Harbor, 'we are opening doors to more tourism and more investments,' USVI Governor Albert Bryan Jr. saidPHOTO: IHERN03880/PIXABAY

Without the dredging, St. Thomas had risked falling behind as a premiere Caribbean cruise destination.

Gov. Albert Bryan Jr., who has championed the project, called it 'another big win for the US Virgin Islands. With the Virgin Islands Port Authority and our federal partners, we are transforming our main infrastructure in ways that will make history.

'Dredging Charlotte Amalie Harbor isn’t just about moving sand; it's about moving forward,' he continued. 'By making room for bigger cruise ships, we are opening doors to more tourism and more investments. This is about boosting our economy and making sure our islands are not just a top-notch place to visit but also a leading economic force in the Caribbean.'

The dredging aims to provide a controlling depth of 12.1 meters/40 feet in the main channel, 11.5 meters/38 feet in the turning basin, and 10.9 meters/36 feet at the West Indian Co. berths to accommodate larger cruise ships.

Out to bid

VIPA plans to put the project out to bid within the next 60 days and anticipates work will begin by the second quarter of 2025. The dredging is expected to take approximately 15 months to complete.

VIPA will host an industry day at noon Aug. 13 to provide more details about the project. Marine, dredging, and general contractors are invited to attend.

The meeting will be held in the conference room on the third floor of the VIPA Administrative Building at 8074 Lindbergh Bay, St. Thomas. Persons interested in attending virtually may email [email protected] to receive a Microsoft Teams meeting invitation.

Acknowledgments

VIPA Executive Director Carlton Dowe expressed gratitude to the Bryan/Roach administration for their support and for submitting two pieces of legislation to appropriate funding for the project. He also thanked WICO CEO Anthony Ottley and his team for the information provided and involvement in the process and members of the 35th Legislature and Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett.

About the Author

Anne Kalosh

Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

Anne Kalosh covers global stories, reporting both breaking and in-depth news on cruising's significant people, places, ships and trends. A sought-after expert on cruising, she has moderated conferences around the world, including the high-profile State of the Industry panel at Seatrade Cruise Global. She created and led the acclaimed itinerary-planning case study for Seatrade's cruise master classes held at Cambridge and Oxford universities. She has been the cruise columnist for AFAR.com, and her freelance stories have appeared in a wide range of publications, from The New York Times to The Miami Herald.

The latest cruise news, analysis and more straight to your inbox
Get the free newsletter read by industry experts

You May Also Like