Harbour Launch Services (HLS) has consistently offered a one way service into Bimini from Freeport Harbour for the past six years.
HLS Business Development Manager, Chovez McBride told ZNS News that he doesn’t think many Bahamians were aware of the service. He said, “getting this new vessel right now gives us an opportunity to really publicize exactly what we’re doing and to go on a much larger scale. So, especially with, I think, what’s been happening in the airline industry, and some of the challenges that been experienced in that regard is being attention to what we’re doing right now.”
There is currently a void in inter-island connectivity with the temporary suspension of flight operations by Flamingo Air. According to McBride demand for the service has steadily increased resulting in expansion efforts by the company. He said, “considering the amount and increase in volume that we’re getting right now and requests that we’re getting right now, we’re trying to incorporate another voyage per week. So we’ll do two voyages per week and we’re looking at going a total of four weeks out of every month. Right now, we’re only taking and maximum of thirty passengers. But the vessel still has some upgrades that we want to do to it in order for us to be able to take the maximum of sixty passengers at the end of the day. And we expect those upgrades to take place within the next two to three weeks.”
The one way trip costs $125 for passengers ages 13 and older, children 12 and under is $75 and cabins are an additional $75.
The HLS business development manager assured that the company is duly certified and adheres to safety standards. “We have a 100% Bahamians crew. Our Bahamian crew is 100% certified, STCW along with the necessary captain’s license and along with the international licenses that are available for Coast Guard entry as well into the United States. The one thing that we want Bahamians to understand is that we are 100% Bahamian owned. So that means that Bahamians mean a lot to us so its gonna be Bahamians first with us,” McBride said.
