Tropic Ocean Airways, the Fort Lauderdale-based airline specializing in seaplane flights, is launching a major expansion in the Caribbean.

Tropic Ocean plans to establish a base of amphibious airplanes in Puerto Rico, the company’s CEO, Rob Ceravolo, said this week.

The airline’s new San Juan base will complement its existing bases in Fort Lauderdale and Miami, from which it operates a network of regularly-scheduled and charter services focused on The Bahamas.

The new flights will include private charters, scheduled flights, “dock to yacht” and cargo services.

That will include domestic flights to all Puerto Rico airports, along with service to Vieques and Culebra and the neighboring US and British Virgin Islands, among other destinations.

Charter flights will include destinations like the BVI, Necker Island, Antigua, St Maarten, St Kitts, Nevis and Anguilla, the company said.

Flights will depart both from the Jet Aviation fixed-base operator at Luis Munoz Marin airport, along with the Bahia Urbana dock in Old San Juan.

Tropic Ocean’s fleet of Cessna Grand Caravan EX aircraft has seating for up to eight guests.

“Modern amphibious seaplane service has been proven to improve connectivity in hard-to-reach areas with less environmental impact,” Ceravolo said. “Our entire team of over 100 aviation professionals is committed to our investment in the Puerto Rico tourism and aviation industries, and we are very grateful for the opportunity to bring our luxury service to the island. We are excited to call Puerto Rico our second home and look forward to growing in the region.”

“At the Puerto Rico Tourism Company, we welcome Tropic Ocean Airways to the Island, as they begin the first stage of operations in Puerto Rico with an aircraft that will use San Juan as its base port, but will have the ability to take off and land anywhere on the Island, whether by sea or land,” said Carla Campos, Puerto Rico’s top local tourism official. “In addition to expanding our air access, the establishment of San Juan as the second base of operations for Tropic Ocean Airways strengthens the positioning of our Island as the connector of the Caribbean region and has the potential to increase passenger movement and creation of new jobs in the short and long term.”

In a region where airlift within the Caribbean continues to pose a big challenge, Tropic Ocean’s Caribbean entry could be a significant addition.

For more, visit Tropic Ocean Airways.