West End Terminal Upgrade

Construction of the new West End Ferry terminal, one of the highest revenuw earners in the BVI, will begin year-end or early next year. The proposed building will cost approximately US$18-20M and will be done in stages so as to not disrupt everyday operations of the busy terminal. The new building will be bigger and have more modern day facilities. When completed, it should accommodate approximately 200 people at one time. There will be different sections to process ferries, private vessels and inter-island ferry services which should make embarking and disembarking much easier for both locals and tourists. Right now, when officers have to clear a private vessel, a ferry has to wait at sea or vice versa. The government decided to upgrade the West End terminal instead of Road Town because of the high traffic flow it receives, both domestically and privately, especially on holidays. Apart from ferries coming from St. Thomas, there are other inter-island services that frequently use that port of entry, such as the St. John, Thatch island, and Jost Van Dyke ferry services. It is the highest revenue earner for the Customs Department and Ports Authority- it even earns more than the airport! The terminal has already made changes in the lines people wait in, so that tourists do not get stuck in the long lines that can occur-especially after the locals make Saturday shopping trips to St. Thomas. If the improvements are anything like those that occured at the Red Hook Terminal in St. Thomas, it will be a most welcome change!- Donna

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