Title 25, Navigation

All sailing vessels up to 700 tons shall be inspected by the Collector of Customs or the harbormaster at least once every two years as to their seaworthiness and condition of their equipment.

The International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1948, shall be in force and effect within the harbors and roadsteads of the Virgin Islands.

All cargo vessels, foreign or domestic, carrying passengers from the Virgin Islands to other parts in the West Indies shall be required to obtain from the Collector of Customs in St. Thomas a certificate of inspection according to the provisions of the Act of Congress of June 5, …

Sections 3, 4, and 5 of this title, and the inspection provisions of section 2 of this title, shall not apply to vessels which carry more than six passengers and which are subject to inspection under the provisions of the Act of Congress of May 10, 1956, Public Law 519 (46 U.S.C.…

(a) The penalty for violation of any provision of this chapter shall be a fine not to exceed $1,000. Such penalty shall constitute a lien against the vessel, and libel suits may be instituted by an enforcement officer in the Superior Court of the judicial division in which the vi…

(a) For the purpose of maintaining transportation facilities and services between the Islands of St. Thomas and St. John, the Governor shall contract for, purchase, or otherwise acquire all such equipment, labor, services, and facilities, as are necessary or appropriate. (b) Publ…

The Department of Public Works, Office of Transportation, shall include inter-island water ferry service between St. Croix and St. Thomas and St. Thomas and St. Croix in the comprehensive mass transit system plan developed by the Department.

(a) There is established as a separate and distinct, non-lapsing, revolving fund in the Treasury of the Virgin Islands, the Virgin Islands Ferry Boat Fund. The Commissioner of Finance shall administer the fund, and no monies deposited in the fund may be made available for expendi…

(a) The harbors of the Virgin Islands shall be administered by the Commissioner of Economic Development and Agriculture, through an Assistant Commissioner for Marine and Aviation Services. The Governor shall appoint a harbor master for Saint Thomas and a harbor master for Saint C…

All ship dues, pilotage fees, quarantine fees, and miscellaneous revenue collected through the harbors of the Virgin Islands shall be covered into a special fund in the Treasury of the Virgin Islands to be known as the “Marine and Aviation Fund”. All expenses of administering sai…

Whenever the navigation of any harbor, or the use of any pier, wharf or bulkhead, or their approaches, in the Virgin Islands shall be obstructed or endangered by any sunken vessel, boat, watercraft, raft or other similar obstruction, and such obstruction has existed for a longer …

(1) The following fees shall be collected by the Commissioner of Commerce and deposited into the Special Fund known as the “Marine and Aviation Fund”:(1) F or piloting vessels to and from any harbor or port in the Virgin Islands, from sunrise to sunset:DRAFTFEEUp to and including…

The following dues shall be paid by ships entering and clearing in St. Thomas and St. John:(1) Vessels of 5 net register tons or less, which discharge or load, per register ton of entire burden, entering and clearing taken together$0.15(2) Vessels over 5 but not over 20 net regis…

(1) The following are exempt from ship dues prescribed by this subchapter:(1) Vessels loading fuel oil for use in engines or coal from the shore or from another vessel insofar as such goods are concerned.(2) Vessels, registered in the Virgin Islands, when the voyage does not go b…

Cargo on which ship dues are calculated under this subchapter shall be reduced to tons by weight or measure according to the scale: 1 ton equals 1 cubic meter equals 1000 kilograms. In case detailed information for reducing to tons is lacking, the reductions shall be made by asse…

(a) The Governor may place steam and motorships under foreign flag, engaged in regular and constant trade between the islands of the Virgin Islands, U.S.A., on even footing in respect of ship dues, under this subchapter, with steamers under the United States flag, engaged in the …

The ship dues prescribed by this subchapter shall be collected by the Collector of Customs under the procedure, and subject to the penalties, prescribed by the laws concerning import duties and customs in the Virgin Islands.

On all goods entering or leaving Saint Croix, the carrying vessel shall pay to the Collector of Customs tonnage dues at the rate of twenty (20) cents per ton of 2,240 pounds. This requirement shall not apply to any cargo of less than 2,240 pounds total; nor shall vessels of Virgi…

(1) As used in this chapter, unless the context clearly requires a different meaning:(1) “Vessel” means every description of watercraft, other than a seaplane on the water, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water.(2) “Motorboat” means any vessel propel…

(a) Every motorboat on the waters of the Virgin Islands shall be numbered. No person shall operate or give permission for the operation of any motorboat on such waters unless the motorboat is numbered in accordance with applicable federal law, or in accordance with a federally ap…

(a) The owner of each vessel requiring numbering or registration in accordance with this chapter shall file an application with the Department. The application shall be signed by the owner of the vessel and shall be accompanied by the following fees:For Class I vessels (less than…

(1) Every motorboat shall carry and be fitted with such life-saving, fire-fighting and fire-prevention equipment, sound signalling devices, and, between sunset and sunrise, shall exhibit lights, all as may be required by the rules and regulations of the Commissioner, provided onl…

(1) A motorboat shall not be required to be numbered under this chapter if it is—(1) Already covered by a number in full force and effect which has been awarded to it pursuant to federal law or a federally approved numbering system of another state, territory or possession of the…

(a) The owner of a boat livery shall cause to be kept a record of the name and address of the person or persons hiring any vessel which is designed or permitted by him to be operated as a motorboat; the identification number thereof; and the departure date and time, and the expec…

(a) No person shall operate any motorboat or vessel, or manipulate any water skis, surfboard, or similar device in a reckless or negligent manner so as to endanger the life or property of any person. (b) No motorboat shall be operated in excess of six statute miles per hour withi…

(a) It is unlawful for any person while under the influence of an intoxicating liquor or controlled substance included in Schedules I through V of Title 19, section 595, VIC, to operate or be in actual physical control of a motor boat or vessel in the territorial waters of the Vi…

(a) It shall be the duty of the operator of a vessel involved in a collision, accident, or other casualty, so far as he can do so without serious danger to his own vessel, crew, and passengers, if any, to render to other persons affected by collision, accident, or other casualty …

In accordance with any request duly made by an authorized official or agency of the United States, any information compiled or otherwise available to the Commissioner pursuant to section 298(b) of this title shall be transmitted to said official or agency of the United States.

(a) No person shall operate a vessel on any waters of this territory for towing a person or persons on water skis, or a surfboard, or similar device unless there is in such vessel a person, in addition to the operator, in a position to observe the progress of the person or person…

(a) The Commissioner may authorize the holding of regattas, motorboat or other boat races, marine parades, tournaments or exhibitions on any water of this territory. He shall adopt and may, from time to time, amend regulations concerning the safety of motorboats and other vessels…

The owner of a vessel shall be liable for any injury or damage occasioned by the negligent operation of such vessel, whether such negligence consists of a violation of the provisions of the statutes of this territory, or neglecting to observe such ordinary care and such operation…

(a) Every peace officer in the Virgin Islands, including enforcement officers of the Department of Planning and Natural Resources, shall have the authority to enforce the provisions of this chapter, and in the exercise thereof shall have the authority to stop and board any vessel…

(a) Any person who violates any provision of sections 292–294, 296(a), 298 and 301 of this title shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be subject to a fine of not to exceed $50 for each such violation. (b) Any person who violates any provision of sections 296(b) and 300 of t…

This chapter may be cited as the Mandatory Motorboat Education and Safety Act.

(a) As used in this chapter, unless the context clearly requires a different meaning:(a) “Commercial Vessel” means any vessel used or engaged in trade or business, including but not limited to, carrying passengers for hire, charter fishing, bare boat, or any type of charter, main…

(a) A person eighteen years of age or younger may not operate a motorboat unless the person has in his possession aboard the motorboat photographic identification and a boater safety identification card issued by the Department which shows that the person has:(1) successfully com…

(a) A person is exempt from section 322 if the person:(a) is licensed by the United States Coast Guard pursuant to 46 CFR Part 10;(b) is a person who operates a vessel under supervision of a certified instructor, or supervision of a person who is exempt from section 323 or who ho…

(a) A person who is operating a motorboat on any waters of the Virgin Islands and is stopped by a peace officer in the enforcement of this chapter, or the rules adopted under this chapter, shall present to the peace officer proof that he meets the requirements of section 322, or …

(a) No person may alter, forge, counterfeit or falsify a boating safety identification card, certificate, license, or temporary operating permit or other document required under section 324. (b) No person may be in possession of a boating safety identification card certificate, l…

(a) A person or his agent or employee engaged in the business of renting or leasing motorboats, not exceeding thirty days, may not rent or lease a motorboat to any person for operation on the waters of the Virgin Islands, unless the person:(1) meets the provisions of section 322 …

(a) All vessels must be equipped with U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device. Each PFD must be in good condition, the proper size for the intended wearer, and must be readily accessible. Readily accessible means an individual must be able to put the PFD on in a reaso…

No person may operate a recreational vessel on the waters of the Virgin Islands with any child under the age of seventeen years, unless each child is wearing an appropriate Type I or Type II personal flotation device as outlined in section 327 of this chapter.

Every peace officer in the Virgin Islands and such officers and employees of the Department of Planning and Natural Resources, as may be designated by the Commissioner, may enforce the provisions of this chapter, and in the exercise this enforcement authority may stop and board a…

(a) Any person who violates any provision of sections 324, 325, 326 or 327, of this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor and is subject to a fine of $500 for each violation. (b) Any person who violates any provision of section 328 of this title is guilty of a misdemeanor and is sub…

It is the purpose of this chapter to provide for the orderly, efficient, equitable, safe, and ecologically sound allocation and regulation of moorings, anchorages and unobstructed navigational channels in the territorial waters of the Virgin Islands. The Legislature finds and dec…

(a) The term “Ad-Hoc Community Committee” means a group of persons chosen by the Commissioner from the areas affected to serve as a liaison between the community and the Department. (b) The term “anchoring” means the temporary securing of a vessel to the bottom of a water body so…