Vanterpool: BVI Can Be Transhipment Hub
Former minister and businessman Mark Vanterpool says the British Virgin Islands could capitalise on its strategic Atlantic location by developing a transhipment port to handle container transfers for the wider Caribbean. He told the Morning Facts show such a facility could generate substantial government revenue — possibly rivaling financial services — but stressed Road Town would not be a suitable site and no formal proposal currently exists.
Political hopeful and former Communications and Works Minister Mark Vanterpool has renewed calls for the British Virgin Islands to explore the development of a regional transhipment port, saying the territory’s location on Atlantic shipping routes offers a potential competitive advantage.
Speaking on the Morning Facts show, Vanterpool argued ports are a major economic opportunity and suggested a properly developed transhipment hub could become a significant source of government revenue. He noted modern shipping relies heavily on transhipment, where large ocean-going vessels offload thousands of containers at central hubs for redistribution to smaller feeders bound for the Caribbean, North, Central and South America.
Vanterpool pointed to established regional examples — including facilities in Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and Panama — and recalled visits to major global centres such as Hong Kong, where automated crane systems move containers with high efficiency. He said those observations shaped his view that the BVI could join the network of transhipment nodes if infrastructure and planning matched the technical demands of modern cargo handling.
The former minister said he began exploring the concept while in office and that Chinese officials had expressed interest in the idea during discussions. He emphasised, however, that he would not support situating such a facility in Road Town because of the level of activity and likely congestion; instead he suggested other locations in the territory be considered.
While Vanterpool told listeners a successful operation could potentially yield revenues comparable to or exceeding those from the territory’s dominant financial services sector, he acknowledged no formal proposal exists. Any realistic plan would require extensive feasibility studies, investment in deep-water berths, container yards, road and customs infrastructure, environmental assessments, and training of a skilled workforce.
For residents, the promise of jobs and diversified revenue must be weighed against potential impacts: increased ship traffic, dredging or land reclamation, implications for yachting and tourism, and marine environment concerns. Competition from established regional hubs would also be a major factor.
Vanterpool’s remarks add momentum to ongoing conversations about diversifying the BVI economy beyond tourism and financial services. Government, private sector stakeholders and communities would need robust consultation and detailed analysis before any project could move from idea to reality.
Primary source: BVI News