The Marine Safety Investigation and Reporting Authority (MSIRA) has issued a stern warning for all boat operators to exercise heightened vigilance in BVI waters.
MSIRA said between February and December 2025, the agency logged 10 vessel groundings — four of them occurring between October and December.
According to the Chief Marine Accident Investigator, the spike in groundings is largely blamed on human error — not mechanical failure. Missed shallow-water warnings, over-reliance on electronic navigation tools, poor passage planning, and inadequate situational awareness have repeatedly contributed to these incidents.
The warning comes amid a sharp increase in charter vessels operating from the BVI waters. Many operators relocated from the neighbouring U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) after the Commercial Recreational Vessel Licensing (Amendment) Act, 2025 introduced steep new licensing fees in the BVI earlier this year.
Industry reporting indicates that about 90 charter yachts — formerly based in the USVI — have re-registered to operate in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) for the 2025-2026 season. That shift brings an estimated US $13.9 million in direct economic activity.
But more boats means more risk. The authorities are asking the newcomers to be aware of the geography of the BVI — a labyrinth of reefs, cays, shoals, and varying depths. This demands careful navigation, especially when tides and weather shift conditions in an instant.
MSIRA is urging all charter companies, bareboat operators, private boaters and commercial vessels to return to basics: thorough passage planning; careful attention when entering or exiting channels; constant monitoring of water depth; adherence to buoy markers and navigational aids; and not relying solely on electronic charts.
The authority also reminded boat operators that that every grounding risks serious environmental damage — from coral reefs and seagrass beds to broader marine habitats — and that such damage can take years, if not decades, to heal.
In the meantime, social media users have blamed the increase in boats accidents on a number of unqualified captains who are allowed to charter boats in the territory.
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