The Government of the Virgin Islands has issued a statement to the maritime industry indicating that the measure introduced in 2021 to require foreign based commercial recreational vessels conducting charter business in the British Virgin Islands to obtain yacht charter licences and  work permits for crew working on these vessels will be reversed as of Tuesday, 15 November 2022.

Download a PDF of our Legal Update – Foreign Based Commercial Recreational Vessels

The introduction of this measure in 2021 meant a sea (np) change in the regulatory regime governing the operation of foreign based commercial recreational vessels in BVI waters resulting in operators modifying their operational procedures and strategies to comply with the requirements.

With the reversal of this position, there will no doubt be questions as to precisely how the revised regime will work in practice and we anticipate that the authorities will publish updated guidance in this regard in due course. We will therefore continue to monitor this space and share any useful information and guidance as the new procedures are implemented.

For more information or if you require any assistance with BVI shipping matters, trade licences or work permits, please feel free to email us or reach out to one of our lawyers using the contact details below.