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From:TheBahamasWeekly.com Grand Bahama
Freeport, Bahamas (Royal Caribbean) – Even as its ships ferried thousands of meals and tons of supplies to hurricane-stricken Grand Bahama in the wake of Hurricane Dorian, Royal Caribbean issued welcomed news yesterday – Grand Bahama Shipyard, one of the island’s largest employers, re-opened September 11, providing jobs and a semblance of normalcy amidst the tumultuous relief efforts. “We are extremely pleased to advise that the Grand Bahama Shipyard re-opened for business on Wednesday, September 11, allowing some 300 Bahamian employees to return to work and demonstrating to the outside world that Grand Bahama is on a path to recovery,” said Michael Bayley, President & CEO of Royal Caribbean International. The cruise line is part owner of the region’s largest ship repair facility along with Carnival Corp. whose top executives issued a similar statement. Mr. Bayley said Royal Caribbean wanted employees, their families, vendors, corporate colleagues and those who had booked haul and repair dates to know that despite some infrastructural challenges, the shipyard is capable of operating at projected capacity and is fully booked through year-end. The Grand Bahama Shipyard is the only repair, refit and refurbishment facility of its kind in the Caribbean region capable of handling Oasis class ships like Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas, Symphony, Mariner, Harmony and Allure, the world’s largest and longest cruise ships, each capable of carrying more than 5,400 guests with Symphony, the largest, topping that number by nearly 1,000. “It is because of our dedicated team at the shipyard that we were able to re-open less than 10 days after the passage of the historic storm that pummeled the island and hovered over it for days,” said Mr. Bayley.
“We thank the management and every member of staff for their determination. They understood how important it was to get people back to work. While we have focused our immediate attention on providing relief, including delivering 20,000 meals a day, we know the commitment to economic recovery must be long-term. That is why we at Royal Caribbean have re-affirmed our commitment to do our part to create a revitalized tourism mecca in Grand Bahama with the proposed purchase of the Grand Lucayan hotel and properties and the port. We, along with our hotel component partners, ITM Holistica, are excited about the future of Grand Bahama and proud to be part of shaping that future.”
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