Roadtown Fast Ferry suspends service to repair the Ferry

I have seen a post that the Roadtown Fast Ferry has discontinued service to/from STT indefinitely. That is all I know. Not good!!

It may have something to do with ESTA where folks from the BVI MUST get permission to go to STT minimum of 72 hours before travel.

Where was this info posted?

Edit: Never mind. I see it here. https://www.bestofbvi.com/info/bviferry_tortola_sttCA.htm
I sure hope this gets resolved by June. Our flight lands in STT at 3:05 on a sunday so I don't think we'd make the 3:30 ferry.

Chucky Hodge just posted on FB. They are waiting for parts from the mainland to fix a mechanical issue. Ilon time notwithstanding, it should be fixed by June, I would think.

Terrific..leaving Sunday am for STT..hoping the others are picking up the slack.I've been trying to get an" accurate" ( yeah right) idea of morning ferries on Sunday but plan to get there by 8.30 and get the first one going..CA or Red Hook. Open to any info folks!

Is Roadtown Fast Ferry using the new cats he bought for trips to/from STT?

On Tuesday it was already out of service and they delayed the 9:30 Native Son boat to 10:30 and all the RTFF passengers also go on that boat.

Malcolm, you are missing the Bomba Charger, I can tell.

Never thought I would..but "Oh Yeah"!

I've just received a phone call to say that "service has been restored" on Road Town Fast Ferry.

Trudi..as always..thanks and nice job.

Running, great. Does anyone know what happened to the new cats he received? Are they doing the STT run?

I have not seen them doing the STT run yet.

As I understand it the new cats still have several months before they can make the STT run. They are not built in the US so the Jones act requires that they be a certain age before they can carry passengers between a US and foreign ports.

Talk about a law that should be repealed, the Jones Act!!!

I thought Jones act only applied to foreign build vessel operation between US ports.
Like a foreign build vessel can not go direct from California to Hawaii w/o a stop at a foreign port in between.

I believe the USVI were exempted from the Jones Act in the 30's.

You are correct Fran

Thanks to the Jones Act Exemption, the USVI is exempt from the Jones Act, a cabotage law which requires freight moving between U.S. ports to be carried on U.S. flag vessels.
Freight between U.S. ports (including Puerto Rico) and the USVI may also be carried on foreign flag vessels.

So what's the Fast Ferry issue?

RTFF posted the following which I found on the British Virgin Islands facebook feed....

"Please Note:
"Due to the diligent work of our mechanical team, Road Town Fast Ferry will resume normal services to STT tomorrow. Thanks for your cooperation and we apologize once again for any inconvenience caused."
RTFF"

Jones Act refers to FREIGHT - not passengers.

Passenger Vessel Services Act refers to Passengers.

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/23/~/the-jones-act-%26-the-passenger-vessel-services-act

True that, but since the Jones Act was being discussed I replied to that discussion.