speed will be arriving in Bermuda later this year.

After receiving several suggestions from existing and potential customers to employ a faster vessel to ensure Monday morning arrivals, Bermuda International Shipping Ltd. decided to replace the existing ship.

A spokesperson from the ship's agents, Meyer Agencies, said that on August 26 the new Bermuda Islander will be launched at the Tille Shipyard in the Netherlands.

Mrs. Patricia Hayward, wife of the Wor. Henry Hayward, president of Meyer Agencies Ltd., will be on hand to christen the vessel, which the companyis taking on a long term charter.

"Finishing and fine-tuning of the vessel will take another five to six weeks and the current plans are to have the new Bermuda Islander handed over to BISL in early October in the Dutch port of Delfzijl,'' the spokesman said.

He added that the vessel's maiden arrival in its US port of Salem, New Jersey is expected late October or early November.

"The new ship is slightly larger than the present one and has an improved container intake of 150 loaded 20-foot boxes. This additional space will now permit BISL to accommodate a variety of vehicles, break bulk and other sensitive non-containarisable cargos with under deck stowage.

"The vessel will also have a more powerful engine producing a service speed of 13.5 knots when fully loaded and 14.5 knots when in ballast. This change will offer Monday 8 a.m. arrivals in Hamilton,'' the spokesman said.