USVI Seeks U.S. Review of VI Fees
A USVI-led delegation has asked the U.S. federal government to review steep new Virgin Islands licensing and entry fees introduced June 1, 2025, which they say are crippling charter operators. Project Fair Waters says the hikes have already shifted business and millions in spending, and is urging U.S. diplomatic engagement because BVI external affairs fall under the United Kingdom.
Virgin Islands traveled to Washington, D.C., this month to press the U.S. government to review steep increases in Virgin Islands licensing and entry fees that went into effect June 1, 2025. The group — led by Kosei Ohno, president of Crown Bay Marina and head of Project Fair Waters (PFW) — raised the alarm about new costs they say are driving U.S. charter operators out of the territory and reshaping regional maritime business (reported by Virgin Islands News Online).
PFW provided examples of the increases: annual multi-night charter licenses that previously cost about $800 are now listed at $24,000 per vessel, while day-trip licenses rose from roughly $200 to $8,500 per vessel. Operators also face customary customs and immigration charges that can add $900 to $1,200 or more on each entry, the coalition said.
In Washington the delegation met with officials and conducted briefings with the U.S. Department of State, the United States Trade Representative, the U.S. Small Business Administration and the U.S. Virgin Islands Delegate to Congress, and letters outlining concerns were sent to senior policymakers, including officials at the White House, according to PFW.
PFW describes itself as a coalition of U.S. Virgin Islands maritime and shore-based businesses focused on securing fair and competitive access for U.S. charter operators and protecting the local economy. The group argues federal intervention is necessary because the British Virgin Islands’ external affairs fall under the authority of the United Kingdom, limiting what territorial USVI officials can negotiate independently.
PFW also said the fee changes have prompted at least 90 charter vessels that once operated from the USVI to relocate to the BVI, removing nearly $14 million in direct spending from the USVI economy so far and projecting potential annual losses of up to $100 million when knock-on effects on provisioning, maintenance, hospitality and transport are included. "We came to Washington during the holidays because our season is starting right now.
Virgin Islands will continue losing American businesses, American jobs, and critical maritime capacity," Ohno said. For BVI residents, the developments bear watching. Any U.S. federal engagement with the United Kingdom could lead to diplomatic talks about fees and enforcement that affect cross-border cruising, charter itineraries and the flow of visiting yachts.
The BVI government was not quoted in the PFW statement; this report is based on the coalition’s account as released to U.S. officials and reported by Virgin Islands News Online.
Primary source: VINO