Reprinted from Caribbean Net News
caribbeannetnews.com
ST THOMAS, USVI: Congressional Delegate Donna Christiansen announced Wednesday that the US Department of Homeland Security will not grant a waiver to charter yacht boats in the Virgin Islands from the Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS) requirement that all vessels transmit a passenger and crew manifest to US Customs and Border Protection prior to arrival at a US port.
Delegate Christiansen requested the waiver when it became known that the regulation would soon be enforced. Charter yacht boaters who make trips to the British Virgin Islands are especially concerned about the requirement to transmit a manifest as early as 96 hours, but not later than 24 hours prior to departure.
In a letter to Delegate Christiansen, Asst. Homeland Security Secretary Pamela Turner wrote that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) "recognized a need to accommodate the industry you represent, as well as the industry in the Great Lakes and Southern Florida where multiple voyages can occur within a 24 hour period, CBP has instructed its ports to exercise prosecutorial discretion and waive the 24 hour turnaround time for vessels that are engaged in 'short-turn' voyages."
Turner continued that CBP was moving to amend the regulation so that vessel operators could transmit their manifests no later than 60 minutes prior to departure. She continued that CBP "understands the impact that the APIS regulation has had on the commercial carrier industry and believe that the regulatory change will accommodate the small boat industry while providing CBP the information necessary to accomplish its primary mission."
Officials will meet later in the week in Charlotte Amalie to discuss this new mandate. Expected to attend the meeting are; members of the Hotel and Tourism Association, a representative of the Department of Tourism, Terence Draft of the Customs and Border Patrol, and Edward Delregarde, of Delegate Christiansen's office.
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