The UK Minister of Transport announced on 7 June 2007 that the Virgin Islands Shipping Registry, currently a Category 2 registry under the UK Red Ensign Group of registries, would be upgraded to Category 1 status, similar to that of Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Gibraltar and Isle of Man.  This will require formal approval by Her Majesty the Queen by Order in Council.  Once this process is completed the VISR will be permitted to register larger vessels, trading internationally, including –

·         General cargo ships of unlimited tonnage;

·         Yachts of up to 3000 gross tons; and

·         Vessels previously covered under Category 2.

Such vessels will need to be certificated under international conventions and surveys and inspections will need to be carried out anywhere in the world. 

As a Category 2 registry the VISR is, in practical terms, limited to registering –

·         Recreational craft and yachts of up to 400 gross tons (about 45m in length);

·         Cargo and commercial craft of up to 150 gross tons (roughly 24m in length); and

·         Domestic passenger ships on domestic voyages.

A small number of larger cargo vessels engaged in local trade, and passenger ships on international voyages to St Thomas, USVI are registered under special provisions permitting “… ships of such importance in the special local circumstances that … it would not be appropriate for that ship to be registered elsewhere than in the relevant British possession”.  However registering ships under this procedure is complex and slow and, more importantly, the process disempowers the BVI from managing an important aspect of our own maritime affairs.  This situation will be corrected once Category 1 status is formally bestowed on the VISR.