Reviews & Ratings for the Tropic-Sun

The container ship 'Tropic Sun,' originally scheduled to dock at St. John's on August 29, ultimately made its arrival on September 5, resulting in extensive losses for local retailers. This five-day delay in the shipment caused many crates of perishable food items, including strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, mushrooms, onions, and leafy vegetables, to be condemned. Supermarket owners and wholesalers are now grappling with thousands of dollars in losses due to the disposal of their deteriorated stock. Among those affected are The Epicurean and Island Provisions Limited, two up-market grocery chains in St. John's, which struggled to maintain adequate inventory during this setback but have since resumed normal operations. The four containers belonging to Epicurean were rerouted to another vessel reaching Antigua on September 5, a week later than planned. While they continued to assess the financial impact, preliminary estimates suggest losses in the thousands, with figures likely to fluctuate as items initially thought salvageable quickly spoil. For more information, visit http://www.caribbean360.com/index.php/business/502173.html#ixzz1XRWD7aFu.

The RMS Rhone dive site, a must-visit for divers in the British Virgin Islands, has reopened following a successful salvage operation that removed the grounded cargo ship, Tropic Sun, from the rocks. On September 1, two tugs, with a third vessel on standby, executed the delicate operation after obtaining the necessary salvage plan approvals. The efforts commenced at 7:00 p.m., strategically timed to coincide with the rising tide, enabling better floating conditions for the distressed ship. The main engines of Tropic Sun were utilized selectively to assist with the rescue, and after a concerted effort, the vessel was freed from its rocky entrapment at 10:10 p.m. and safely relocated from the grounding site. The Tropic Sun, which had been en route from Tortola to St. Maarten, found itself in trouble after colliding with the rocks of Salt Island on August 28, 2011. At the time of the incident, the vessel was anchored between Beef Island (The Bluff) and Buck Island, awaiting a thorough underwater inspection by divers designated by Bureau Veritas, the ship's classification society. In a statement on September 1, the National Parks Trust announced the marine park's reopening, assuring boaters and water enthusiasts that diving and snorkeling activities can safely resume. Importantly, the historic sunken steamer RMS Rhone, a central attraction in the park, was unharmed during the incident. The RMS Rhone tragically sank in 1869 with 125 individuals on board, and since 1980, the territory has protected the wreck site as part of a dedicated marine park.

The vessel 'Tropic Sun' is currently grounded approximately 4.7 miles southeast of Road Town on submerged rocks, resulting in significant damage to its bulbous bow, which has been bent hard to port from the impact. As a precaution, the nearby historical site of the RMS Rhone wreck has been closed indefinitely. This location is a renowned diving spot within the British Virgin Islands, and its closure may affect local tourism. Ongoing investigations are being conducted by the BVI Port Authority, BVI Shipping Registry, National Parks Trust, and the Royal Virgin Island Police Force's Marine Unit as of August 29. In addition, three private salvage teams are actively engaged in strategizing the removal of the vessel. Initial assessments have shown damage to the hull, yet there are currently no signs of leakage. For further updates and visuals, readers can refer to reports available at [Virgin Islands Daily News](http://virginislandsdailynews.com/news/tropical-ship-grounded-near-wreck-of-the-rhone-1.1195354#ixzz1WazERsS8) and [BVI Beacon](http://www.bvibeacon.com/1/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=956:rhone-closed-after-ship-runs-aground&catid=204:local-news-aug-25-2011).