Project ReefBall

In 2002 the Sovereign of the Seas was named Royal Caribbean Int.’s Environmental Ship of the Year. This was based on overall performance in areas such as compulsory audits, energy conservation, and recycling during corporate year 2001. Included in this award was a $25,000 grant for the ship to use to improve environmental programs of its choosing. Senior Management onboard the vessel voted to go forward with a program of active involvement in the restoration of coral reefs in the Caribbean.

The ReefBall Group is a non-profit organization which supplies equipment and training for groups such as Royal Caribbean International, Ltd. for the construction of artificial coral reefs. Each ReefBall is hand-made and can come in a variety of sizes and designs. The ReefBall serves as a habitat for juvenile fish as well as a platform for the transplanting of imperiled coral. (Imperiled coral is coral that otherwise would have died if not for the intervention of the specially trained transplant team). It’s unique patented design allows water to flow through bringing nutrients to the various marine organisms while protecting them from larger organisms.

The Sovereign team has built and deployed over a dozen ReefBalls at the private Bahamian Island of Coco Cay, known to locals as Little Stirrup Cay. The island is located in the Berry Island chain and is home to many species of marine life such as the spotted eagle ray and the Bahamian Grouper. The area provides a diving experience that is second to none boasting a wide variety or coral species as well as shellfish and tropical fish populations. The Sovereign Team plans to continue to work to improve this underwater habitat in association with The ReefBall Group as well as the Royal Caribbean International, Ltd. Aquatics Staff who live on and maintain this island paradise. For more information feel free to visit the project on the web at WWW.REEFBALL.ORG.