PORT: St. Thomas

COUNTRY: US Virgin Islands

CODE: VISTT

1. LOCATION: Charlotte Amalie Harbour is situated on South side of Island of St. Thomas. It is 1,434 miles from port of New York. Northern side of Island borders on Atlantic Ocean, and Southern side on Caribbean Sea.

2. OVERVIEW: The Harbor is one of the best in the West Indies, being almost landlocked. The Port of St. Thomas is a very small port in the US Virgin Islands.

3. MAXIMUM SIZE: Information not available.

4. TRAFFIC: Shipping containers and Ro-Ro.

5. PILOTAGE: Compulsory and available day and night.

6. TUGS: Depending on conditions, tugs are available for docking and undocking ships.

7. BERTHS: Wharf of the West Indian Company Limited, located on Eastern shore of harbour basin. Wharf is bulkhead type, 2,234 ft. long with 600 ft. extension, running N.E./S.W., and is well protected to seaward. Mooring bitts are spaced at intervals of 50 ft. There is a ``cut out'' in the wharf 950 ft. from N.E. corner, which is 22 ft. wide and approximately 3.5 ft. above low water. This ramp is slanting from 8.3 ft. to 3.5 ft. over a distance of 20 ft. Safe depth alongside is 30 ft. Bulwark is 8.3 ft. above mean tide. Average difference between high and low tide is 11 in.

Dockage dues are payable to the West Indian Company Limited, as per tariff.

In the Crown Bay area (access via East or West Gregerie Channels) the V.I. Port Authority maintains facilities which include a pier extending 800 ft. from shore with 500 ft. of berthing space on South side and 200 ft. on North side, where ships up to 25,000 g.r.t. can moor. Controlling depth presently 30 ft. This pier is used for berthing tourist and tanker vessels only. A curved bulkhead at top of Crown Bay, approximately 900 ft. long, is used for Ro/Ro, container and break bulk cargo. Controlling depth 27 ft. 24-hour arrival notice is required.

8. CRANES: Containers are handled at the West Indian Company and the Crown Bay area (V.I. Port Authority), but no special gantry cranes are available]

9. WASTE DISPOSAL: Not available.

10. SLOPS DISPOSAL:  No facilities available.

11. WATER: Delivery affected by pipe alongside wharf. Water can be delivered by barge.

12. FUEL: Bunkers are not available except for small craft.

13. CHANDLERY: St. Thomas should not be depended upon for large quantities of provisions or deck and engine stores, as practically all commodities are imported making prices higher than United States mainland ports and Puerto Rico. No regular Ship's Chandlers established in St. Thomas, V.I.

14. CONTACT: Virgin Islands Port Authority, PO Box 301707, St Thomas, 00803, Virgin Islands (US). Tel: +1 340 774 1629. info@viport.com http://www.viport.com