Above: a Disney ship

By the Caribbean Journal staff

The British Virgin Islands Ports Authority says it will formally enter into preferential berthing agreements with Norwegian Cruise Line and Disney Cruise Line as part of its Cruise Pier Expansion Project, the BVIPA announced.

The agreements will put into force an annual guarantee of 350,000 and 75,000 passengers from NCL and DCL, respectively.

“The signing of the agreements signals a milestone in the cruise pier expansion project’s development,” said Claude Skelton Cline, managing director of the British Virgin Islands Ports Authority. “We will continue to work diligently in tandem with our cruise line partners to make the BVI a marquee destination for cruise tourism.”

Disney Cruise Line President Karl Holz and NCL Vice President Colin Murphy will be on hand Friday for the official signing ceremony.

The BVIPA said the berthing agreement was “in line with the BVI Ports Authority’s vision to create a unique and modern cruise pier facility that delivers a memorable, world-class and environmentally compatible sustainable development.

The authority is responsible for the BVI’s cruise infrastructure and facilitates port calls.