USVI-On-Line

http://stthomassource.com/content/news/ ... e-licenses

This is in addition to any US Coast Guard regulations - the Dept. of Planning and Natural Resources - DPNR - is enforcing the Dept. of Licensing and Consumer Affairs - DLCA - laws for having a registered, valid and current Business License.
Carrying paying passengers is heavily regulated by quite a few agencies and operating in the National Park or Internationally to the BVI involves a few more.
The Captain of the vessel, who personally must maintain a Merchant Marine Document, TWIC -Transportation Worker Identity Card - Current Drug Consortium Card, CPR Certificate, STCW 95 endorsement, FCC radio license and possibly a few more certificates depending on the vessel or route is also responsible for all the proper vessel licenses being in order.
Many charterers on vacation have little understanding or appreciation for the complexity of running even the simplest boat carrying paying passengers but all these factors contribute to the cost of operation and take considerable effort and time.

Thanks for posting this.

Thanks Exit for posting this. As you know I book charters for a living and alway have copies of all licenses and only book companies that are current. I am amazed at how many "captains" do not have these documents and it can be difficult to answer questions from guests who ask about "so and so and his boat" - it is difficult to word the reply (meaning I don't book/represent that captain/company) because I am aware that they are noncompliant.

Pia

Pia - I compliment you on your ethics and meticulous record keeping.
The cost of maintaining and updating a Merchant Marine Document - 'captains license' - from the USCG runs into the $ hundreds, and in some cases depending on the endorsements needed, $ thousands of dollars - the paperwork for obtaining and renewing this license is expensive, exacting and manifold - the school classes for each endorsement or certificate commonly cost $3-600 each - drug testing and physicals are mandatory and can be asked for by the USCG at random - the BVI imposes its own license requirements necessitating at least a day trip there - a minimum of 360 DAYS at sea, certified, half of which must be in the last 5 years, is required to even apply for an entry level license which is issued by the USCG according to Tonnage and will require an initial investment of over $1000 as well in most cases [ using a USCG approved School ] - local knowledge is priceless and a concern for safety aboard is immeasurable.

I wonder if that is why so many of them leave from the BVIs instead. On two of the trips they told us that we could not go to the US islands. They did not have the proper paperwork.