Luther Blount, president and owner of American Canadian Line is forming Caribbean Beach Services Ltd. – a new cruise ship service company that will provide large ships with access to remote Caribbean beaches.

Blount, a specialist in small ships, has designed and is currently building specialized beach landing vessels that can quickly and safely load several hundred passengers alongside a ship at anchorage, and transport them to a beach within minutes.

After all the passengers have been transferred, the multi-deck beach boat will remain on the beach, offering bar and lunch services and comfort stations.

Operations are expected to begin in early Fall, 1986, from islands that have good isolated beaches adjacent to leeward anchorages. Negotiations are now underway with various island governments for permits that avoid big ship clearance problems. According to Blount, the potential extends from the U.S. Virgin Islands to the Grenadines.

Blount, who originated the beach landing concept, has transported more than 15,000 passengers to Caribbean islands over the last 10 years. He says that his concept offers an interesting alternative to large cruise ships, and relieves passengers of the hassles of hot bus transport. He also believes that his concept will increase business for big cruise ships by giving them the ability to offer remote beach landings through an onshore service company.

Blount can offer vessels of several different sizes; and can build versions that are small enough to be carried on board and launched from the ship.