[Hud3]

For those who cruise, or plan to cruise the eastern Caribbean, either in your own yacht or in a charter boat...get ready for a load of beaureaucratic bull s**t.

Unless island government officials come to their senses, cruisers in private yachts and charter vessels will face a new layer of red tape when sailing amongst ten islands in the eastern Caribbean--the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS). Originally applied to airlines and cruise ships, it is now being interpreted as applying to small cruising yachts. Antigua has begun enforcing it, and other islands may soon follow.

Here's a summary--more information can be found in the Caribbean Compass article in the link below:

Advance Passenger Information

"Legislation has been passed which provides for an obligation for Advance Passenger Information to be transmitted to the ten participating CARICOM Member States for ALL air and sea carriers arriving at, and departing from each Member State." Participating CARICOM member states are Jamaica, Antigua & Barbuda, St. Kitts & Nevis, Dominica, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Grenada, Trinidad & Tobago and Guyana. Private yachts and charter yachts are covered by the requirement to fill out a detailed form which asks for information such as passengers' names, nationalities and passport numbers, and the vessel or aircraft's dates and times (in hours and minutes) of departure and arrival.

According to the Joint Regional Communications Centre (JRCC) of the Caribbean Common Market (CARICOM) in Barbados, the form can be submitted by filling it in on-line using the XLS format available on the website, by creating an XML file (using their XML schema) and sending it as an e-mail attachment, or by printing the on-line form, filling it in and faxing it. The fax option is to be used in the event of failure or unavailability of electronic equipment.
Submissions must be made according to a strict timetable relevant to times of departure and/or arrival, with different advance times depending on whether you are arriving in, departing from, or traveling within the CARICOM Single Domestic Space."

How many of us have full-featured internet access, ability to email forms as attachments, or a printer and fax machine on our boats? The U.S. got the ball rolling on this monstrosity, but the paperwork-loving island beaureaucracies appear to be ready to jump on the bandwagon.