Island Express was designed by the owner of Caribbean Spirit, Reef Express, and Cruzan Cat. He contracted with WD to do the structural engineering and prepare the drawings for construction and USCG certification. WD saw the project through certification, including the stability calculations package. She is certified for 65 passengers on an exposed route. She was launched the summer of 2009. Originally in service in Florida, she now operates in Panama due to a change in the owner's plans.