ALT: Mr. Burns Says Excellent

ALT: Wico Cat Cartoon Animation

ALT: Wico Cat Cartoon Animation

The West Indian Company Limited has recorded 314 cruise ship calls so far this year as passenger traffic in Charlotte Amalie approaches pre-pandemic levels. Harbor dredging is expected to begin within 60 to 90 days, deepening entrance channels and the turning basin to accommodate larger cruise ships. WICO projects more than 360 calls and approximately 1.2 million cruise passengers in fiscal year 2027. The company plans to measure future performance against fiscal 2026. ## WICO prepares the harbor for larger ships President and CEO Joseph Boschulte presented the traffic and infrastructure updates during WICO’s Aug. 28 board meeting. Once dredging begins, the project is expected to take about a year to complete. Charlotte Amalie Harbor’s two main cruise facilities are WICO’s Havensight dock on the east side and Crown Bay Cruise Port on the west side. Havensight can berth as many as three large cruise ships and is adjacent to shopping and passenger services near downtown Charlotte Amalie. WICO is also replacing or improving water lines and pumps to increase the speed and reliability of water sales to cruise lines. Security procedures are in place for the service, and the company does not expect to add staff for the operation. ## Passenger fees lift quarterly revenue Chief Financial Officer Charlene Turnbull reported that third-quarter fiscal 2026 revenue exceeded projections. The result followed increased cruise activity, expense controls, collection of outstanding receivables and efforts to lease vacant properties. Passenger fee revenue rose by $1.84 million from the same period a year earlier. WICO also reported stable cash reserves. Three ships were in port on some days. ## WICO weighs proposals for its upland site and Pier 22 WICO, which is owned by the Virgin Islands Public Finance Authority on behalf of the territorial government, is considering development of more than 13 acres of upland property near Liverpool. Five companies have expressed interest and were asked to provide detailed proposals before an upcoming request-for-proposals process. Boschulte called the potential development a “significant partnership opportunity.” The company is separately reviewing new uses for Pier 22, its only remaining large rentable space. Proposals under consideration would convert the facility into an entertainment center with multiple operators serving cruise passengers and local residents. ## Booking systems scheduled for upgrade The board also reviewed spending from a Cybersecurity Grant Fund for software licensing and professional services. WICO is updating its booking and cruise management systems and will train employees on the new platforms. Boschulte said the company is prepared for tropical weather during the current hurricane season. The grant-funded technology work is scheduled for completion by Nov. 1.

Septiembre llega con promociones fuertes en YPF, Shell, Gulf y Wico: bancos, billeteras y programas de fidelización ofrecen reintegros y descuentos de hasta 30%, con topes que superan los $10.000. Qué día conviene cargar, qué medio de pago usar y cuáles son las ofertas más rendidoras para no perder dinero en combustible.

Buenos Aires, 2 de septiembre (NA) -- Los automovilistas cuentan durante septiembre con distintas promociones para ahorrar al cargar combustible en algunas de las principales estaciones de servicio de la Argentina. Bancos, billeteras virtuales y programas de fidelización ofrecen descuentos y reintegros de hasta el 30%, aunque con diferentes topes y días de vigencia. Los beneficios relevados alcanzan a estaciones de YPF, Shell, Gulf y Wico y, en muchos casos, requieren pagar con una tarjeta determinada, utilizar MODO u otra billetera o tener una cuenta sueldo o paquete especial en el banco. Entre las promociones más importantes aparecen reintegros del 30%, descuentos del 25% y distintas alternativas del 20%. Los topes mensuales o semanales pueden superar los $10.000, por lo que elegir el día y medio de pago puede representar un ahorro considerable. LOS BENEFICIOS VIGENTES PARA CARGAR COMBUSTIBLE EN SEPTIEMBRE YPF * Banco Galicia: 10% de descuento, con tope de $10.000 por cuenta por mes. Promoción especial el 10 de septiembre. * Galicia Éminent: 15%, con tope de $15.000 por cuenta por mes, para clientes con cartera Éminent. El beneficio indicado corresponde al 10 de septiembre. * Galicia Extra Cuenta Sueldo: 10%, con tope de $5.000 por cuenta por mes, también el 10 de septiembre. * Banco Ciudad: 10% de reintegro los domingos, con tope de $10.000 por cuenta por mes. * Banco Nación: 20% los viernes, con tope de $10.000 mensuales. * Banco Macro: 20% los miércoles, con tope de $15.000 por cuenta por mes. * Banco Macro Selecta: 30% los miércoles, con tope de $20.000 por cuenta por mes. * Banco Comafi: 20% de reintegro, con topes de $6.000 semanales en distintas modalidades de pago, y una alternativa con tope de $10.000 semanal. * ICBC Cuenta Sueldo: 15% los lunes, con tope de $15.000 por cuenta por mes. * Banco Hipotecario - Búho One: 15% los lunes, con tope de $8.000 por cuenta por mes. * Banco Credicoop: 15% los viernes, con tope de $4.500 por cuenta por semana. * Credicoop Cuenta Sueldo: 20% los viernes, con tope de $6.000 semanales. * Brubank: 10% los lunes, con tope de $2.000 por cuenta por semana. * Brubank PlanPlus: 10% los lunes, con tope de $4.000 semanales. * Brubank Ultra: 10% los lunes, con tope de $6.000 semanales. * App YPF: 3% sin tope mediante Carga Inteligente entre las 0 y las 6, todos los días. * Santander Sorpresa: 10% de descuento, con tope de $5.000 por cuenta por mes. * Santander Sorpresa en Tiendas Full: 25%, con tope de $10.000 por cuenta por mes y vigencia todos los días. Este beneficio corresponde a compras en las tiendas y no a la carga de combustible. SHELL * Banco Nación: 25% los viernes, con tope de $13.000 por cuenta por mes. * Banco Ciudad: 10% los domingos, con tope de $10.000 mensuales. * Banco Comafi: 20%, con topes de $6.000 semanales en distintas modalidades y de hasta $10.000 semanales según el medio de pago. * Banco Galicia: 10%, con tope de $10.000 mensuales, en la promoción del 10 de septiembre. * Galicia Éminent: 15%, con tope de $15.000 mensuales. * Galicia Extra Cuenta Sueldo: 10%, con tope de $5.000 mensuales. * Bancor: 10%, con tope de $10.000 por cuenta por mes y alcance solo en Córdoba. * Supervielle: 10%, con tope de $10.000 mensuales pagando con QR. * Club 365: 5% en nafta Súper, con tope semanal de $2.000. * Club 365: 10% en Shell V-Power, con tope semanal de $5.000. * Club 365: 20% en lubricantes, con tope de $6.000 por cuenta por mes. * Jumbo+: 15% en lubricantes, con tope mensual de $5.000. * Jumbo+: 10% en Shell V-Power, con tope de $5.000 por compra por semana. * Ripio: 10% de reintegro, con tope de $5.000 por cuenta por mes. GULF * Banco Nación: 20% los viernes, con tope de $10.000 por cuenta por mes. * Naranja X: 10% los sábados y domingos, con tope de $3.000 por cuenta por transacción pagando con tarjeta de crédito. * Mercado Pago: 10% los lunes y jueves, con tope de $7.000 mensuales y una compra mínima de $40.000. WICO * MODO: 15% en GO LS, GO Plus y Nafta Súper, los jueves. * MODO: 15% más un 10% adicional en Nafta Plus, también los jueves. * Banco Credicoop: 15% los miércoles, con tope de $5.000 por cuenta por mes. * Personal Pay: 5% todos los días, con tope de $15.000 mensuales. * Wico GO Plus: 20% sin tope de reintegro, los lunes. * Wico Nafta Plus: 25% los lunes, jueves y domingos. * Wico Nafta Súper: 15% los lunes, jueves y domingos. * Wico Lubricantes: 30% los lunes, jueves y domingos. Según pudo saber la Agencia Noticias Argentinas, las promociones de septiembre muestran importantes diferencias según la estación, el banco y el tipo de cliente. El descuento máximo relevado llega al 30%, aunque no necesariamente es la alternativa que permite obtener el mayor ahorro efectivo, ya que entran en juego los topes de reintegro. Por ese motivo, antes de cargar combustible conviene revisar qué día aplica cada promoción, cuál es el tope disponible y qué medio de pago exige. Algunas ofertas requieren MODO, aplicaciones específicas de las estaciones, tarjetas determinadas o pertenecer a segmentos como Cuenta Sueldo, Éminent, Selecta o Ultra. También es importante distinguir los descuentos directamente aplicables a nafta o gasoil de aquellos destinados a lubricantes o consumos en las tiendas de las estaciones de servicio. Las condiciones y vigencias pueden modificarse durante el mes. Agencia NA

ALT: Wico Cat Cartoon Animation

ALT: Wico Cat Cartoon Animation

Vlaams Belang Pelt stelt op de gemeenteraad voor om vrijwilligers in te zetten als extra ogen en oren in de schoolomgeving. De partij ziet het als een proefproject, aan de 2 WICO-campussen in Neerpelt...

It's nearly 170 million years old. It's more than 2.5 times the size of Earth. And it's the first exoplanet discovered and cataloged by researchers with the Wisconsin Center for Origins Research (WiCO...

ALT: Wico Cat Cartoon Animation

ALT: Wico Cat Cartoon Animation

The West Indian Company Limited is projecting 362 cruise calls and about 1.2 million passengers at its Havensight dock in fiscal 2027 as it prepares to dredge Charlotte Amalie Harbor for larger cruise ships. The St. Thomas cruise facility operator has awarded the dredging work to Orion Marine Construction, with work scheduled to begin in September 2026 and finish by mid-2027. Havensight can berth up to three large cruise ships. WICO recorded 302 ship calls and 946,199 passengers through May 31 of fiscal 2026. Its fiscal year runs October to October. ## Dredging targets the largest-ship constraint “We have the dock space and the berthing space to take a large ship,” said Joseph Boschulte, president and CEO of WICO. “However, we didn’t have the depth of the channel and the turning basin to allow the largest vessels to come in safely. After this dredging is done, that changes.” Oasis-class ships currently berth at Crown Bay Cruise Center, the island’s second cruise port, which is operated by the Virgin Islands Port Authority. Those ships run roughly 1,187 feet long, measure about 225,000 to 237,000 gt and draw about 30 feet, 6 inches, with typical double-occupancy capacity around 5,400 guests. Orion Marine’s dredging work includes mechanical and hydraulic projects for channel-deepening, maintenance dredging and port expansion. Boschulte said WICO is confident in the contractor’s planning and execution for the St. Thomas project. ## Five maiden calls are scheduled for fiscal 2027 WICO’s fiscal 2027 schedule includes first calls by Carnival Festivale, Carnival Firenze, Explora III, Norwegian Aura and Seven Seas Prestige. “I’m a firm believer in diversification,” Boschulte said. “All economic levels benefit the island and all the ancillary industries that depend on cruise traffic.” He cited Disney Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Line as examples of how different operators generate different spending patterns ashore. Disney passengers are more likely to have shore excursions booked before arrival, he said, while Carnival brings more independent passengers who use local taxis, smaller tour operators and other island businesses. “If you talk to our taxi concession, they deal with more non-pre-paid clients,” Boschulte said. “Those smaller businesses invest in themselves because they are competing for that business.” ## Private-island competition remains part of the strategy Boschulte also pointed to cruise line private-island products as a competitive issue for Caribbean ports, naming Carnival’s Celebration Key, Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day collection and MSC’s Ocean Cay. “Private islands have been around for a while, but now they are offering bigger and more spectacular resort-style packages,” Boschulte said. “They offer a controlled solution, but there are still thousands of people who still want something that is really authentic about their experience they can find on their own.” WICO’s response, he said, is to continue developing more interactive local experiences tied to food, shopping, beaches and independent movement around the island. “We have to adapt, and we have to continue to thrive on both fronts,” Boschulte said. ## Board sets the fiscal 2027 budget WICO’s board recently approved the company’s fiscal 2027 operating budget and reviewed several related business items, including a 2024 independent audit completed with no major findings and renewal of insurance coverage for the upcoming fiscal year. “Our FY2027 budget reflects our commitment to responsible fiscal management while advancing the initiatives that support sustainable growth and continued economic impact for the U.S. Virgin Islands,” Boschulte said. Directors also reviewed progress on requests for qualifications and proposals for development of more than 13 acres of upland property at Havensight, along with planned upgrades to WICO’s water distribution system. Boschulte said the property work creates room to rethink the passenger arrival experience at Havensight, including possible hotel and hospitality uses beyond the cruise call.

Harumkan Nama Bangsa, Chelsi Chiapinsky Heryadi Raih Medali Emas di WICO 2026 Lewat Inovasi Pemurni Udara TANGERANG SELATAN – Prestasi membanggakan kembali ditorehkan oleh generasi muda Indonesia di panggung internasional. Chelsi Chiapinsky Heryadi, pelajar asal Jakarta, berhasil meraih Medali Emas dan Special Award dalam ajang kompetisi sains dunia, World Invention Creativity Competition (WICO) 2026. Remaja kelahiran tahun 2009 ini tampil mewakili Indonesia melalui Kirobo, program ekstrakurikuler sains di SMAN 2 Tangerang Selatan. Keikutsertaannya dalam WICO 2026 menjadi pengalaman berharga karena ajang ini menghimpun lebih dari 300 peserta internasional yang menampilkan berbagai inovasi unik dan futuristik.