General Description
Location: Ocean Cay is situated on the N side of the Great Bahama Bank. It is approx 60nm E of Miami and 100nm WNW of Nassau.
General overview: The 40 ha island, which was built in 1970, is composed of mainly limestone flanked by a natural bedrock foundation. It was also used as a facility for handling LNG tankers, with facilities for handling ships weighing up to 85,000 tonnes. Recently, it has been given on a lease to MSC Cruises to build a Marine Reserve on the island. The port of Ocean Cay is used for the mining of aragonite.
The port infrastructure comprises a dock for berthing passenger ships and a landing pier. Thus, this port has not only benefited the Bahamas economically by creating more than 200 permanent jobs but also promoted eco-tourism.
Load line zone: Summer.
Max size: There are facilities available for specially designed bulk carriers up to 85,000t.
The largest vessel called at the port: LOA: 339 m, draught: 8.5 m, deadweight: 12 722 t.