16-Member Delegation Represents BVI at Monacco Yacht Show


~~Adz:Left~~ Roadtown, Tortola- The Virgin Islands (UK) today began an intense promotional effort in Monaco to market its new status as a Category One ship registry.

A16-member delegation headed by Deputy Premier Honourable Dancia Penn, OBE, QC is representing the Territory at the Monacco Yacht Show which is staged from September 24-27.

The annual show, the largest of its kind in Europe, brings together all of the major players in the yachting industry including boat designers, builders, suppliers and service providers like the BVI.

Participation in this year’s event is of particular importance for the Territory given its promotion in June to Category One shipping registry status. Director of the Virgin Islands Shipping Registry Captain Baboucar Sallah said this is a huge marketing opportunity for the Territory.

“This is when we will tell the whole world that we have arrived with our enhanced status which allows us to register yachts of up to 3000 and cargo ships of unlimited tonnage,” Captain Sallah told the Department of Information and Public Relations.

He added  “it is the biggest event of its kind in Europe and it will be an opportunity for us to showcase our product and of course we will be meeting face to face with the people who are likely to be our clients in this enterprise; they will be fielding questions to which we will provide answers.”

Since attaining the new status, the VISR has received several inquiries from new yacht owners and Captain Sallah is hoping to attract many more owners and prospective buyers through their promotion in Monacco.
The BVI’s participation is a joint effort of the VISR and the International Affairs Secretariat, IAS.

Director of the IAS, Mrs. Lorna Smith, who is part of the BVI delegation in Monaco, described the event as an “excellent networking opportunity and the BVI certainly hopes to capitalise on this opportunity given our new Category One shipping registry status.”

The BVI will be among about 500 exhibitors participating in Monaco Yacht Show and the IAS Director said “Government and the private sector will jointly operate a booth which will essentially serve to disseminate information about the Virgin Islands to the thousands of people who pass through the four-day event.”

Government will also host a reception this evening for about 100 persons onboard a private yacht. “It is a quite fitting location given the purpose of the event to market our new status as a Category One shipping registry, now capable of registering the mega yachts of the world,” Mrs. Smith said.

In addition to the Deputy Premier and the VISR and IAS Directors, the BVI delegation to the Monacco Yacht Show includes Acting Deputy Secretary in the Premier’s Office Mrs. Marva Titley-Smith; Chief Marine Surveyor Captain Pat Nawaratne: Registrar of Ships Mr. Ronald Donovan; International Finance Centre’s Chief Operations Officer Ms. Sherri Ortiz; IFC’s Marketing Manager Ms. Maritza Mercer; Customs Officer Mr. Dirk Walters; Director of BVI’s London Office Ms. Dawn Smith and General Manager of the BVI Tourist Board in London, Ms. Christine Oliver.

Five persons from the private sector are also included in the delegation. They are Mr. Meade Malone of Abacus Trust and Management Services Ltd., Mr. Yohan Henry of the legal division of Harneys, Ms. Frances David of Shoreside Services, Mrs. Laura Arthur and Mr. Richard Arthur of Hunte and Company.

The BVI attained Category One shipping registry status on June 4 with the tabling of an Order in Council in the United Kingdom Parliament.