The BVI-British Virgin Islands government agreed on conditions to allow cruise liners for short-term berthing at BVI Ports Authority’s Cruise Pier and Port Purcell Dock (Tortola Island's Road Town) "under strict health and safety rules." However, cruise ship calls remain suspended during the current pandemic.
The berthing is exclusively to take on provisions, spare parts, bunkers, and other services. No crew will be allowed to disembark. No attendance onboard the vessel from shore-based staff is to be permitted.
The technical calls are usually of short duration, from a number of hours to a couple of days. Warm layups are for an extended period, entail a reduced level of crewing, and assume a reduction in fuel consumption, repairs, and maintenance costs. A technical call implies that a ship would be allowed permission of short duration, from a number of hours up to 3 days.
During warm or hot layup the ship is out of service. However, the vessel can be mobilized into service at a short notice.
The economic benefits of extended technical calls/warm layups include cruise ships carrying out refueling, start-up, and repair activities in the territory before they set sail again.