Allow Charter Pickups at Tortola Pier Park
Ramon George of Grandeur Charters has called on authorities to allow charter operators paid pickup and drop-off access at the Tortola Pier Park finger pier, saying the change would improve service for cruise passengers and generate funds for dock maintenance. He made the appeal at the government-hosted Marine Industry Forum on August 18, 2026, arguing current restrictions create delays, extra costs and missed connections.
Ramon George, a representative of Grandeur Charters, urged government authorities to restore pickup and drop-off access for charter operators at the finger pier in the Tortola Pier Park during the Marine Industry Forum on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. Speaking at the Moorings Yacht Club, George proposed a paid-access model under which charter operators would pay roughly $50 per pickup or drop-off.
He said such a fee would be affordable for operators—"Charge us $50. I’ll pay 50"—and would provide revenue for regular maintenance of the finger piers and main dock facilities. Currently, only certain taxi and livery operators are permitted to collect cruise passengers at the Pier Park.
George described the present arrangements as inefficient and costly for both operators and visitors. He said cruise guests are sometimes forced to walk from Village Cay to other collection points or wait long periods because of limited dock space at the office, leading to late arrivals for onward travel. "Sometimes when you get here, you don’t have enough dock space for the dock office, and you’re here waiting for 20 minutes, and they reach the ship late," he said.
In extreme cases, George added, operators end up covering additional travel costs when passengers miss connections—"Guess what? I have to buy them a ticket to reach St Thomas to get the next flight. This is insane." George also questioned why greater investment has not been made in the finger piers themselves, arguing that improved infrastructure would allow cruise guests to be returned directly to the main pier and reduce congestion and delays.
The Marine Industry Forum, hosted by government interests at Moorings Yacht Club, examined sector challenges including expanded local water taxi and day-charter operations and building career pipelines for Virgin Islanders in yachting and marine services. George framed his proposal as one that could benefit both the private marine-tourism sector and the authorities responsible for port infrastructure.
Any change to pickup and drop-off policy would require a decision from the relevant government agencies, including port authorities and tourism regulators, and would likely involve consultations with taxi and livery associations. George’s remarks were reported by Virgin Islands News Online during the forum.
For BVI residents and local operators, the debate highlights ongoing tensions between access, infrastructure investment and revenue generation as the territory seeks to improve visitor experience while maintaining well-managed port facilities.
Primary source: VINO