Atlantis Submarines ‘back in business’

After suspending operations in March owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, Altantis Submarines Barbados announced its return to the sea on Wednesday in time for the winter tourist season.

The underwater attraction will be on a limited schedule of three dives per day for three days a week but will grow the schedule back to full capacity based on increasing demand, the company said in a statement.

Atlantis Submarines said it used the unscheduled down time to refresh various aspects of the overall product as well as to establish COVID-19 protocols as approved by the Ministry of Health.

Atlantis’ General Manager Roseann Myers said: “With a safety filter established at the airport and a second test required before guests can leave their resort, Atlantis Submarines has resumed tours.

“Our operation is guided by protocols that have been approved by the Ministry of Health in Barbados.

“It has and continues to be a long hard road back to some sense of normalcy and it has taken every ounce of collective determination to get to this stage.”

She noted that in keeping with the protocols, some aspects of the underwater tours have changed.

Myers said: “Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the maximum capacity allowed in the submarine was 48 guests and three crew, but in the current environment the number of guests allowed has now been reduced to 18 to allow for required social distancing for families and groups.

“Masks are mandatory throughout the tour; full sanitization will occur between tours and the submarine has been fitted with HEPA filters just like in the aircraft.

“As has always been the case, medical-grade oxygen is continuously pumped into the cabin and contaminants are constantly removed from the air.

“The air within the cabin is also scrubbed to remove carbon dioxide. An electrostatic sprayer is used at the end of each day to further disinfect the area.”

A recertification of the submarine was completed as required in November and an inspector from the American Bureau of Shipping ensured all major systems were inspected and recertification has been given, the company said.

All the submarine pilots have been recertified, which was required so they can run tours after an eight-month break, it said. During the break, the check-in facility was also relocated from within the building to an open deck overlooking the marina.

Myers added: “The downsizing or rightsizing exercise was required to slash overheads but facilitates open air check in and wait time before the tour.

“We relaunched with the local Independence special ($54 for 54 years) as has been offered over the last 30 years for locals and residents, whose testimonial advertising and referrals have assisted in getting us to where we are”

Myers also promised a discount for visitors until year end and special year-round rates for guests on the Barbados Welcome Stamp long-stay visa.

Atlantis Submarines said it also used the nine-month hiatus to do long-term planning.

General manager Myers said the company was also looking forward to government support through the Barbados Employment and Sustainable Transformation (BEST) programme.

She said that when finalized, BEST will help the company retain workers and focus on transforming the business.

“Staff were provided the opportunity to have their say on a comprehensive training programme to run over the next two years funded by the National Transformation Initiative (NTI),” she said.

“Training to specifically prepare the team was conducted by Catalysts Consultants’ Norma Shorey and associate Cheryl Gittens focused on “managing change and stress in the new normal”.

Once all the details of the investment funding can be worked out, Atlantis Submarines expects BEST to also offer assistance for the establishment of a solar farm to charge the battery-powered Atlantis 15 submarine, therefore reducing the use of fossil fuel and its carbon footprint.

“Other plans include adding another attraction underwater and possibly an aquaponics operation as we try to dream about what the next 20 years could look like,” the company said. (DH/PR)