News

US Virgin Islands, HOVENSA Extend Interim Agreement as Talks Continue

By: Caribbean Journal Staff - December 17, 2012

Above: the HOVENSA refinery

By the Caribbean Journal staff

The government of the United States Virgin Islands and HOVENSA have agreed to extend an interim agreement to make fuel available as the two sides negotiate on the future of what was the Caribbean’s largest oil refinery.

The agreement makes fuel available to the community through HOVENSA’s truck-loading rack. It has been extended until not later than Feb. 28, 2013.

The agreement also allows HOVENSA to operate an oil storage facility on the site, according to the terms of an earlier interim agreement from last March.

“The owners of HOVENSA want an arrangement that allows them to operate an oil storage facility, while I continue to believe that a refining operation is the best possible outcome in terms of employment and revenues for the territory,” USVI Governor John de Jongh said in a statement.. “I am hopeful that we will continue to make progress on reconciling our respective positions.”

In January of this year, parent company Hess announced that the refinery, the largest single employer in the USVI — and the territory’s primary supplier of fuel — would close. It cited a weakness in demand for petroleum products due to the downturn.

According to a HOVENSA statement, the company is “continuing to work to achieve an amicable resolution that best serves the interests of both the company and the Virgin Islands.”

Popular Posts antigua catherines cafe

The 25 Best Best Beach Bars in the Caribbean for 2025, From Aruba to St Barth to Eleuthera  

You can find the perfect island. You can book the perfect hotel. But your vacation hasn’t really begun until you pull up to your chair with an ice-cold cocktail at the perfect Caribbean beach bar. For all of the wonders […]


The 25 Best All-Inclusive Resorts in the Caribbean for 2025, From Beach Hotels to Private Hideaways to Overwater Bungalows

all-inclusive resorts caribbean

Today’s travelers want experiences. They want great food. They want authenticity. They want thoughtful service. But if you’re been following the travel industry in the last half-decade, you know that what today’s travelers really want are all-inclusive resorts. The all-inclusive […]


Hyatt Is Closing This Riviera Maya Resort, With Plans for a Rebranding

riviera maya resort closing

Hyatt is closing one of its top luxury resorts in the Mexican Caribbean in a few months, with plans for a rebranding, Caribbean Journal has learned.  The Andaz Mayakoba Resort Riviera Maya, one of a trio of properties in the […]


Related Posts st thomas resorts

New Operator for Two Top Resorts in St Thomas, USVI

The two newest resorts in St Thomas now have new operators, Caribbean Journal has learned.  Marriott’s Westin Beach Resort and Spa and Morningstar Buoy Haus Beach Resort at Frenchman’s Reef in St Thomas have tapped Davidson Hospitality Group as their […]


Why the US Virgin Islands Is a “Leader” in Caribbean Tourism 

beach at buoy haus hotel in st thomas with green hills

It’s not just all the new flights, or the hotel occupancy growth, or the new-look waterfront in Charlotte Amalie.  There’s a palpable dynamism in the US Virgin Islands right now. You know it when you board a completely-full flight from […]


The US Virgin Islands Is Hosting a New Caribbean Tourism Summit in St Thomas

st thomas resort beach

For a destination that has helped lead the way for the Caribbean out of the pandemic, it’s no surprise that the US Virgin Islands is at the forefront with another innovation: a brand-new Caribbean tourism summit.  The new US Virgin […]