VIPA Looks to the Future

M.A. Dworkin

St. Croix - The Virgin Islands Port Authority (VIPA) is in the process of holding Community Meetings to assess the input that Virgin Islanders might have on their Comprehensive Harbor Advancement & Resilience Transformation (CHART) plan. A recent Community Meeting (the first of three) was held by the VIPA at St. Croix’s Rohlsen Airport Terminal Cruise Lounge, last week. It is a long-range planning effort  to ensure that the maritime assets of the Virgin Islands remain safe, reliable, and resilient for the present and the foreseeable future. 

The Virgin Islands’ ports are essential to daily life in the Territory, bringing in food, fuel, goods, and visitors, while supporting local jobs and island connections. Nearly everything used in the Virgin Islands arrives by sea. Through data gathering, local knowledge, and community input, VIPA is looking to create a clear, asset specific plan that will guide investments, strengthen storm readiness, and prepare Virgin Islands ports for the inevitable changing conditions that will challenge the Territory through 2050 and beyond. 

CHART is a multi-year initiative that will not only help VIPA understand how its maritime facilities are performing today, but will identify the risks that storms, sea level rise, and an aging infrastructure will stand up to current and future conditions. CHART will also help the VIPA plan for future economic, transportation, and community needs, along with developing practical strategies to reduce risk and guide long-term investment. The result is a roadmap that helps ensure Virgin Islands ports continue serving the Virgin Islands safely, efficiently, and sustainably. 

Reliable ports mean stable supply chains, lower costs, and stronger local businesses. The challenges facing the USVI in the years ahead are substantial. Hurricanes, flooding, and sea level rise pose growing risks to maritime infrastructure. It just makes common sense to believe that the way to prepare for these challenges is a solid plan that will help reduce potential catastrophic damages, the downtime that accompanies them, and the costs of recovery, 

CHART follows a clear, step-by-step approach that combines technical analysis with community engagement. Input from residents, workers, businesses, and partners ensures solutions reflect real needs and local  priorities. 

• Step One is understanding the Assets and Risks. This includes inspections, data review, and resilience analysis to understand which assets are most critical and most at risk.

• Step Two looks at how ports are used today and how they may be used in the future - considering cargo, cruise, ferry, and seaplane activity, economic trends, and community priorities. Public outreach and stakeholder input play a key role.

• Step Three is the development of a long-term vision for each port and facility. These future scenarios must consider infrastructure needs, growth opportunities, and potential changes over time.

• Step Four is the evaluation of practical solutions to reduce risk and improve resilience. These may include engineering improvements, operational changes, and nature-based solutions. Strategies are assessed based on benefits, costs, and timing.

• Step Five is crafting the actual plan. All findings, ideas, and community stakeholder input come together into clear, asset specific master plans that guide decisions, funding, and implementation over the long term.

Your voice counts!

The next Community Meeting will be held in June 2026. Watch for specific times and dates.

Please email the Team at any point during the planning process with your questions and concerns at: VIPACHARTPlan@Publicinput.com.