The University of the Virgin Islands unveiled a new dock at the MacLean Marine Science Center overlooking Brewers Bay on the St. Thomas Campus Friday, Nov. 18. The opening ceremony, which took place at 10 a.m., involved presentations on land and tours of the dock and boat ramp. The upgraded infrastructure will greatly increase the University’s Center for Marine and Environmental Studies (CMES) ability to safely conduct marine research.
“The old dock was literally held together with straps, because none of the wood was in good enough shape to hold a screw,” said Dr. Paul Jobsis, director of the CMES and associate professor of Marine Biology. “We can now easily remove boats from the water for storms or simple servicing. We can dock larger boats with greater capabilities for near shore and offshore research. And no stairs means that we can use carts to move heavy equipment. This is a big step forward for UVI and marine science research.”
More information is available in a news release on the Media Section of the UVI website – http://www.uvi.edu/ - and from this direct link.