The Virgin Islands Port Authority’s (VIPA) goal for the New Year is to restore and rebuild its facilities damaged by hurricanes Irma and Maria last September. VIPA’s construction manager, Lemartec Inc., was competitively selected by the VIPA Board of Directors to oversee the restoration of all damaged port properties.
Lemartec is now mobilizing to begin repairs. Construction will begin in late January. Phase I of the restoration schedule will focus on the properties that received the most damage during the storms. The priority construction projects are:
- Repairing the roof of the Cyril E. King Airport Terminal, and renovating the damaged storefronts at the Crown Bay Center on St. Thomas.
- On St. Croix, the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport Terminal roof will be repaired and new airport parking lot equipment will be installed.
- On St. John, pre-fabricated modular buildings are on order to house the Port Authority’s dockmaster and port police offices, and a conference area. VIPA will also replace the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Building in Cruz Bay. All foreign arriving vessels will be processed at the Edward Blyden Marine Terminal at the Charlotte Amalie Waterfront on St. Thomas until further notice.
The scheduled repairs will not interrupt travel to the US Virgin Islands via its air or seaports.
