America’s Cup Bermuda and its community partners hosted the first of six public information sessions at St Paul Centennial Hall in Hamilton this week, with a specific focus on Marine Services.

Speakers included Mike Winfield, the ACBDA chief executive officer, Denise Riviere, chairwoman of Local Biz Connect, Adam Barboza, the project manager, Ralph Richardson, Caroline Bay’s chief executive officer, and William Spriggs, an economic development officer with the Bermuda Economic Development Council.

The focus of the information sessions is to prepare Bermuda for the 35th America’s Cup, and to understand the magnitude of services that will be required and how to meet the increased demand.

Bermuda can expect an uplift in demand for services across the board with 85 superyachts registered in the Official America’s Cup Superyacht programme and another 300 or so visiting yachts that will be anchored in the harbour.

Specific services discussed included water shuttles, on-water courier services, personal services such as private chefs, florists, beauty and health services, laundry and cleaners, boat cleaning, to name but a few.

The Local Biz Connect information sessions will each feature different business opportunities. The next session on Tuesday invites small businesses interested in vending opportunities. Here a calendar of events will be discussed and vendors can register their interest.

Other subjects covered will be land and water transportation, entertainment and areas specific to the East and West ends of the island.

At the session two local entrepreneurs showcased online apps they have developed which will be open to local businesses to connect with the service demands.

For instance, they deliver groceries to visiting yachts and will connect with local boat owners to be paid water couriers, running goods from the jetty to the yachts.

More information will be made available in the coming weeks.

ACBDA, BEDC and its Local Biz Connect partners anticipate other similar entrepreneurs to arise in the lead up to the start of America’s Cup, from May 26.