Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. Friday expressed his gratitude to the Trump administration and the Office of the United States Trade Representative for exempting the U.S. Virgin Islands from proposed maritime fees on Chinese-built vessels — an exemption he said protects the territory from significant economic disruption.
The decision follows a Section 301 investigation and national input, and includes exemptions for smaller, shallow draft vessels critical to the Virgin Islands’ supply chain. More than 95 percent of goods consumed in the territory, including food, medicine and building materials, arrive by sea, according to the press release.
“This outcome is the result of strong leadership, strategic engagement and sustained collaboration,” Bryan said in a statement issued by his office. “I want to personally thank President Donald Trump, Ambassador Jamieson Greer and the entire team at the USTR for hearing our case and recognizing the unique supply chain vulnerabilities faced by the Virgin Islands.”
Bryan had formally outlined the territory’s concerns in a March 26 letter to U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer, emphasizing the outsized impact the proposed fees would have had on the Virgin Islands’ economy and daily life, the press release stated.
The final determination from the USTR reflects several of Bryan’s recommendations, including exemptions for short-haul routes, vessels under 4,000 TEU, and U.S.-owned or U.S.-flagged ships — many of which operate in and out of the Virgin Islands, the release stated.
“I also want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the maritime industry stakeholders who stood with us, particularly Tim Martin and Jenifer Nugent Hill of Tropical Shipping, along with our congressional partners including Delegate Stacey Plaskett, members of Congress who supported our efforts and our outstanding lobbying team in Washington, D.C.,” Bryan said. “Together, we ensured that Virgin Islanders were not left behind.”
The governor emphasized that the exemption not only averts unintended consequences for the territory’s economy but also maintains the Virgin Islands’ role in broader U.S. national security and logistics across the Caribbean Basin, the release stated.
“This decision recognizes the Virgin Islands’ strategic importance as America’s third border and affirms the value of having our voices heard in the halls of power,” Bryan said. “It underscores what we can achieve when the territory’s federal priorities are clearly communicated and forcefully advocated for through leadership, unity and collaboration.”
Bryan said his administration remains committed to advancing the Virgin Islands’ interests in Washington and ensuring that federal policies support — not hinder — the territory’s economic stability, the release stated.
“This exemption is a significant victory, but it is also part of a larger effort to ensure that every federal policy and regulation considers the unique realities of life in the U.S. Virgin Islands,” Bryan added. “We will continue to lead with solutions, engage in good faith and advocate with purpose to ensure a stronger, more secure future for our people.”
