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WICO projects passenger rebound, seeks investments to expand berthing capacity and address pilot liability
Summary
Interim CEO Charlene Turnbull told the Senate Finance Committee WICO projects a return toward pre‑pandemic passenger levels in FY2026, but the company remains under pressure from larger ship sizes, debt service and a pilot fee obligation; WICO seeks coordinated investment in dredging, infrastructure and development of underused property.
Interim CEO Charlene Turnbull told the Senate Committee on Finance on Aug. 18 that the West Indian Company Limited (WICO) projects passenger traffic and ship calls to rebound in fiscal 2026 but warned that long-term trends — larger vessels, competition from private‑island investments, and deferred infrastructure work — will require additional capital investment to preserve the territory’s competitive position.
Turnbull said WICO projects a 20% passenger increase in fiscal 2026, to roughly 1.1–1.2 million passengers, driven by stronger book‑ins from cruise lines and targeted efforts to attract boutique and international itineraries. For fiscal 2025, Turnbull said WICO projected 954,000 passengers, down slightly from 2024 because of some ship maintenance cancellations.
Why it matters: WICO operates the principal downtown Saint Thomas cruise dock; its ability to berth modern cruise ships and to channel passenger spend into local…
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