The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

A direct ferry service from South Florida to Bimini is scheduled to start next month, a move the company believes will “open the doors” to the island by bring ing in as many as 1,200 passengers per week.

The Bale�ria Bahamas Express, which already operates a service between South Florida and Freeport, will start a route between South Florida and Bimini in the first week of February, according to Pablo Aviles, its commercial executive.

“We will be starting service from Miami to Bimini in the first week of February,” he confirmed.

“We are bringing in a second ship, the Maverick, which has just passed inspection and has the capacity for 350 passengers. Eventually, once the Government dock gets completed it will dock there, but for now it’s going to dock at the Bimini Bay Resort.

“We are very much looking forward to starting the service. We are looking forward to being able to open the doors to Bimini.”

Mr Aviles said: “Bimini right now is a very exclusive area; the only way to get there is by either private plane or your own yacht.

“What we are doing here, for $150 plus taxes, is opening the door to Bimini. We are expecting this to have a great impact to the Bimini economy.”

The ferry will begin with three trips per week on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. “We have an economy class seat for $150 plus taxes, and first class seats for $30 more,” Mr Aviles said.

“There will be a cafeteria and full-service bar. The ferry will leave South Florida at 9am and arrive around noon. The passengers doing a one-day trip come back at 6pm, and the ferry gets back to Florida at 9 pm weather permitting. That gives the oneday traveller the opportunity to maximise the daylight on the island.

“We’re looking at 1,200 passengers a week to Bimini, if it’s full. It’s unrealistic to think the ship will be full to capacity every day, and not at the beginning at least, but we are opening the doors to the world. In Miami nobody really knows Bimini because it’s so exclusive, and now that we’re promoting this service people are really excited.”