Genting’s Bimini SuperFast has received the green light from US Coast Guard to start ferrying gamblers from south Florida to the company’s new casino in the Bahamas.
The 32,000-ton, 1,346-passenger vessel, replete with roulette and blackjack tables, slot machines and a nightclub, was supposed to commence operations with the opening of Resorts World Bimini earlier this month but was docked in Miami after failing a Coast Guard safety inspection.
It’s reported now that those issues—among them the crew’s proficiency in emergency procedures and the working order of lifesaving equipment—have been resolved.
“We are pleased that the ship is now in compliance, having met all required safety standards to sail,” said the Coast Guard’s Miami commander, Capt. Austin Gould.
The German-built SuperFast, capable of speeds up to 30 knots, is slated for two two-hour trips a day between the Port of Miami and Resorts World Bimini, including an evening “party” cruise. The boat is considered integral to Genting’s Bahamas marketing strategy, and the company has committed US$11 million for improvements to a Miami marine terminal to handle it and will pay the port $7 million a year for docking space.
“The whole Resorts World Bimini experience is extended to the Bimini SuperFast,” Genting Group Chairman Lim Kok Thay said recently. “It’s a double enjoyment experience. This new resort will attract many new visitors from the US and other countries.”
Resorts World Bimini is a joint venture between the Malaysian leisure giant’s Genting Malaysia subsidiary and RAV Bahamas, the developer of the 750-acre complex, which features luxury villas, shopping and dining, a marina and a 10,000-square-foot casino containing 15 table games and 153 slot machines.
