bonanza in Cuba.

The latest boat to join the party in the tropical island is the former Government tender Canima , which is being sold to Bermuda Island Cruises.

BIC owner Donald Morris expects the 750-passenger vessel to sail for Cuba by the end of the year, when it will work from Havana as a tour boat -- complete with restaurant and sports bar.

The island is taking off in terms of visitor numbers and is expected to attract two million by the year 2000, from a high of 540,000 in 1994.

Once there, the Canima will join other former Bermuda vessels, the ex-tour boat Georgiana and the glass bottomed Reef Goddess , which sailed there last year.

The burgeoning tourism industry in Cuba -- which has most visitors from Europe, Canada and the UK -- is currently seen as a better option than the saturated tour boat market in Bermuda.

"Bermuda is over-extended in the tour boat business,'' Mr. Morris said. "We had already sailed the other two boats down there. The Canima will be heading down at the end of the year.'' At present the 116ft Canima is in dry dock at Dockyard, while Marine and Ports carry out renovations. Once it is refloated, work will be done to convert it for Cuba and then it will embark on a four-day journey south.

Mr. Morris said he had no plans to take any more vessels but said there were opportunities opening up there.

The Canima , which cost $1.75 million in 1988, was used to take cruise ship passengers to Hamilton from vessels moored in the Great Sound before the construction of the ferry terminal at Dockyard.

Its facility was discontinued in 1996 when Celebrity Cruises said it would no longer need the tender. It was put up for sale that year by tender. Its sister vessel, the Bermudian , is still in use and currently makes pleasure trips from Dockyard to St. George's and Hamilton.

SHIPS SHI