Business View Caribbean October/November 2018

74 75 THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS PORTS AUTHORITY PROVIDING SUPERIOR QUALITY SEAPORT FACILITIES AND SERVICES T he British Virgin Islands Ports Authority (BVIPA) is a statutory, corporate entity established by the British Virgin Islands Ports Authority Act of 1990. Its mandate is “to be responsible for the welcoming and safe arrival of seafaring passengers, as well as the reception, handling, and security of cargo and sea- based trade.” Its facilities include: Port Purcell, Road Town Jetty, the Tortola Cruise Pier,West End, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke, and Serenity Moorings. Before its inception, the BVIPA’s functions were carried out by the government’s Ports and Marine Services Department. The BVI Ports Authority is governed by a Board comprised of a Chairman, Deputy Chairman, five members, and four ex-officio members. Its day-to-day operations are overseen by a manage- ment team headed by the Managing Director, who supervises 150 employees in nine departments: Administration, Business Development, Human Resources, Finance, Information Systems, Maintenance, Marine, Security, and Operations. The BVIPA has affiliations with several regional organizations and serves as a Platinum Associate Member of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association, a member of the American Association of Port Au- thorities, a member of the Caribbean Shipping Association, and a member of the Ports Management Association of the Caribbean. In its early days, the BVIPA was supported with a government AT A GLANCE THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS PORTS AUTHORITY WHAT: A statutory corporation of the BVI government WHERE: Road Town, British Virgin Islands WEBSITE: www.bviports.org