Cruisers planning to cross the Indian Ocean and stop at the remote British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), also known as the Chagos Archipelago, face an increase in the application fee for a mooring permit which comes into force on July 1, 2024.

Published 4 months ago

The British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), also known as the Chagos Archipelago, consists of 58 islands covering some 640,000 sq km of ocean located approximately halfway between East Africa and Indonesia.  It is a British Overseas Territory administered from London, England.  Due to its remote location the wildlife and environment are exceptional, which is why access is restricted and a permit is required in advance of travel from the BIOT Environment Office.

Applications for a permit to visit are changing on 1 July 2024, when prices will increase. In advising Noonsite of the fee increase, a spokesperson for the British Indian Ocean Territory Administration (BIOTA) said they had recently reviewed the yacht permitting process and guidance for the Archipelago.

“Covid guidelines have been lifted, updates in the guidance have been incorporated and the application fee for mooring permits has increased from £100 to £250 per week,” said Lindsey Hollinsgworth, Environment Officer with BIOTA.

“Over the past few years demand for permits had increased to historically high levels. To date, we have received 23 applications so far in 2024 compared to 20 in the entirety of 2020.

“The increase in price is reflective of a number of factors, including the administrative time needed for processing the permits and the resources required to check on the sailing vessels once in the territory,” said Lindsey.

Levy for Environmental Management

Lindsey assured Noonsite that the increase in fees does align with other UK overseas territories. She said, “The price increase is also part levy for environmental pressures associated with the growing number of visiting vessels which may require environmental management interventions to protect the ecologically sensitive areas of the Marine Protected Area.”

The only permitted anchoring and mooring locations are the Peros Banhos Atoll and the Salomon Islands.

All applications received from 1^st July 2024 onwards, will be subject to the new fee of £250 per week.

Illegal Activity will be Prosecuted

Visits to the islands are tightly controlled.  Some of the islands have been designated as Strict Nature Reserves and it is illegal to enter them. If you are granted permission to visit, you must moor your vessel at BIOT approved sites only, to help conserve BIOT’s fragile coral environment. Diving, spear-fishing, removal of flora or fauna and commercial activity (including charter trips and fishing other than for subsistence purposes) are strictly prohibited and any offences will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Permits for Protection

The permit system is only in place to allow vessels to rest at specific anchorages in order to provide safe passage through the Indian Ocean. In keeping with this, mooring permits are valid for a maximum period of 28 days for the Outer Islands only. Applications can be made for one, two, three or four weeks.

For full details of all the rules and regulations and the clearance process, see Noonsite’s BIOT formalities.

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Related Links:

• BIOT Chagos FAQs
• British Indian Ocean Territory
• BIOT Guidance for Yachts
• Chagos Conservation Trust

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