The West Indian Company Limited’s newly appointed interim CEO, Charlene Turnbull, delivered her formal report to the board Friday, outlining critical infrastructure constraints and operational concerns amid rising cruise ship traffic.
Speaking at the board meeting, Turnbull said she was honored to assume the role and committed to ensuring WICO remains a vital gateway for the Virgin Islands’ tourism economy.
“It is with a great sense of pride that I approach this position,” Turnbull said. “I understand the importance of my role as captain of the ship, and my intent is to keep the ship steady and moving forward towards WICO’s intended home, which is to remain a premier cruise port and gateway for tourists coming to our shores.”
As of Friday, WICO had hosted 265 cruise ships carrying more than 875,000 passengers during fiscal year 2025. Looking ahead, fiscal year 2026 projections indicate a 29% increase in ship visits, with 362 calls expected to bring approximately 1.2 million passengers.
WICO’s finances remain stable with slight year-over-year growth, according to Finance Committee Chair Hugo Hodge. “Revenues are almost exactly the same — $7.878 million versus $7.897 million — so slightly more,” Hodge said, “we’re continuing the trend in the right direction, revenues going up, expenses going down.”
Cruise ship capacities continue to exceed 90%, and WICO anticipates maintaining this high utilization level throughout the coming year as operations return to pre-pandemic normalcy.
Despite this growth, Turnbull highlighted a significant challenge: the port’s limited berthing capacity remains a bottleneck, preventing WICO from fully capitalizing on market demand.
“Berthing capacity continues to be an impediment to reaching our full potential,” she said. “We are consistently experiencing berthing due to excess length combinations, time conflicts, and berth restrictions, which ultimately restrict our revenue opportunities.”
Turnbull noted that these constraints have led to difficult decisions, including turning away ships when no suitable berths are available. A dredging project in the Charlotte Amalie harbor is underway and expected to alleviate some of these limitations by increasing depth and reducing berth conflicts.
Until the dredging and related infrastructure improvements are complete, WICO works closely with cruise lines to optimize berth assignments and communicate available capacity.
“Simply put, we cannot keep pace with the market’s demand for ship calls, as is,” Turnbull said.
Board members emphasized the urgency of addressing the port’s limitations. “We have to make a decision in the U.S. Virgin Islands — not just from a WICO perspective, but politically — on how to accommodate larger ships,” one member said. “This is the premier cruise ship port, but it’s becoming too small to handle where the industry is headed.”
Board members noted recent port expansions in Saint Kitts, Saint Lucia, and Saint Martin, and said increased cruise activity from Puerto Rico could be leveraged with corresponding infrastructure upgrades in the Virgin Islands.
WICO is undertaking infrastructure upgrades to support increased cruise ship traffic and maintain safety standards, including the Charlotte Amalie dredging project.
Work is ongoing on the bulkhead fender adjustment project, which involves repositioning 20 arch fenders on the main bulkhead at the middle and inner berths. Turnbull noted that the project is 25% complete and expected to be finished by the end of the year. This work is necessary to accommodate larger ships carrying up to 7,000 passengers.
Maintenance of security and electrical systems continues. Camera and access reader maintenance is in progress, additional backup batteries have been installed, and a new security golf cart is operational. Cybersecurity upgrades funded by federal grants are planned for fiscal year 2026. Other maintenance projects include painting exterior walls, dock repairs, and cleaning parking areas.
As cruise traffic grows, WICO faces increasing pressure to modernize its infrastructure to meet industry demands. According to WICO board members, ongoing upgrades, including berth expansions and safety improvements, are critical to supporting future growth and maintaining the port’s role as a key gateway for the Virgin Islands.
