Bvipa Wins Caribbean Port of Year
The British Virgin Islands Port Authority (BVIPA) has been named Caribbean Port of the Year at the Caribbean Shipping Association's 55th AGM in Paramaribo, Suriname. Managing Director Akeem R. Pickering says the award recognises the Territory's post-Irma and post-pandemic resilience and the steady growth in cargo imports.
The British Virgin Islands Port Authority (BVIPA) was honoured as Caribbean Port of the Year at the Caribbean Shipping Association (CSA) awards held during the CSA’s 55th Annual General Meeting, Conference and Exhibition in Paramaribo, Suriname, from October 12 to 14, 2025. Approximately 400 delegates attended the conference, representing jurisdictions across the region from Suriname to Puerto Rico.
The award recognises ports that demonstrate operational excellence, growth and resilience in the face of regional and global challenges. Pickering told Virgin Islands News Online that the accolade reflects the Territory’s ability to rebound and expand despite the setbacks of recent years. "This award reflects the resilience of the Virgin Islands," Pickering said, pointing to recovery work since Hurricane Irma and the disruptions of COVID-19.
He stressed that BVI’s cargo and throughput statistics for 2024 were larger than in 2023, a key factor in winning the award: "If we're not growing... our numbers for 2024 would have not been bigger than our numbers in 2023... and if we couldn't show the percentage increase, we would not have won." Pickering also highlighted a tangible increase in cargo importation to the Virgin Islands, noting that higher import volumes underline both economic activity and residents' consumption. "We consume what is imported.
If the consumption level was not high, what is imported would not be high. So, therefore, this is not just a port authority award," he said. For BVI residents, the recognition serves as an external validation of the Territory’s ongoing recovery and its role in regional trade. Ports are lifelines for the BVI, supplying food, building materials, fuel and goods essential for households and businesses.
Growth at the port signals stronger commercial activity, greater confidence from importers and the potential for steady economic recovery. Pickering concluded by urging residents and importers to take pride in the international recognition and to continue supporting the local economy. "We are hopeful that importers, we are hopeful that Virgin islanders... can gain confidence in knowing that we're not just a little dot... we'll continue to invest, we'll continue to purchase, we'll continue to grow," he said.
The award places BVIPA among leading Caribbean ports and serves as a reminder of the central role maritime operations play in the British Virgin Islands' economic resilience and future growth.
Primary source: VINO