Barge service between St. Thomas and St. John will be temporarily provided by one company, according to a press release issued on Wednesday by the Virgin Islands Port Authority (VIPA). Boyson Inc.’s barge is currently off-line. In addition, yesterday, the U.S. Coast Guard had ordered that the M/V General II operated by Global Marine be taken to dry dock. As a result, Love City Car Ferries is the only barge company currently servicing the route between St. Thomas and St. John, said VIPA Executive Director Carlton Dowe.
“We recognize that having only one barge company running may cause long lines and longer wait time for travelers and businesses utilizing the barge services – especially as we approach the busy Fourth of July Weekend. Love City Car Ferries has two vessels, and the Port Authority has relaxed the schedule to allow them to continuously pick up passengers throughout the day to provide faster, uninterrupted service,” Dowe said.
He reminds the public that while VIPA owns the docks, it does not own or operate any of the barge companies. However, VIPA marine officials are communicating regularly with the owners of the barge companies to ascertain how long their vessels will be down.
For more information, contact Monifa Brathwaite, VIPA’s public information officer, at 774-1629 or MBrathwaite@viport.com.
