On Monday, the Virgin Islands Port Authority announced that the project to dredge the Charlotte Amalie Harbor to accommodate large-sized cruise ships is closer to commencing as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has approved the permit application for the dredging.
In a release to the press from Monifa Brathwaite, public information officer for the Port Authority, it was said that “This significant development will ensure improved access and navigability for cruise traffic, benefiting the local economy and supporting continued growth and development in the region.”
The dredging project has been an item that has been discussed and processed for several years. According to Brathwaite, the funds for the Charlotte Amalie Harbor Dredging Project were appropriated via two pieces of legislation: $17 million from the V.I. Public Finance Authority via legislation submitted by Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. and $1.5 million from the Community Facilities Trust Fund that will be used to fund the soft costs of the project, such as federal environmental requirements and consultant costs.
Now that the permit for the project has been approved, within 60 days the project will be put out to bid.
When asked about the total cost of the project, Brathwaite said that information will be withheld until bids for the project are secured.
“Releasing the estimated cost could unfairly skew the cost of the bids that we receive,” said Brathwaite.
The project will hopefully be completed sometime in 2026.
“Once the bids have been received and reviewed, the most responsive bid will be presented to the VIPA Board for its approval. VIPA anticipates that the project will start in the second quarter of 2025 and that the project will take 15 months to complete,” Brathwaite said.
When asked if the project will affect the anticipated number of scheduled ships docking into the harbor daily, Brathwaite responded, “The dredging will be conducted around the cruise ship berthing schedule and is not expected to interrupt normal operations in our harbor.”
Though there is a lot of fervor surrounding the project, in the past, West Indian Company Ltd. president and CEO Anthony Ottley has expressed dismay about proposed dredging suggestions made by the Port Authority. The concerns were over how deep to dredge and who would pay for the dredging. At the time, the Port Authority suggested that 36 feet would be sufficient, while WICO said that the new mega cruise ships need 40 feet. When asked if WICO agreed to the dredging depth approved in the permits by the Army Corps of Engineers or if they still have concerns, Brathwaite said that the depths are “in line with what was requested by WICO.”
Currently, the dredging project 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 Company (WICO) berths to accommodate larger vessels.
On August 13, the Port Authority will host an Industry Day at noon 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 Port Authority Administrative Building at 8074 Lindbergh Bay, St. Thomas. Persons interested in attending virtually may email info@viport.com to receive a Microsoft Teams meeting invitation.
In the press release by the Port Authority, Director Carlton Dowe expressed gratitude to the Bryan-Roach Administration for their support in submitting two pieces of legislation to appropriate funding for the project. Additionally, he thanked Ottley and his team for their advice and involvement in the process, as well as the members of the 35th Legislature and Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett.
