WEST PALM BEACH — Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line is calling on cruise industry partners to lend their resources in an effort to find a cure for COVID-19.

The cruise line has teamed up with Folding @ Home Project (FAH), which is helping researchers conduct simulations to analyze the protein-folding process and movements in various diseases, including COVID-19. Through the project, scientists can use donated computing power from anywhere in the world to run simulations, study the virus and find a vaccine.

Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line is the first cruise line to officially participate in the project by donating computer resources from its offices, as well as the Grand Classica and Grand Celebration. Now, it’s encouraging other cruise lines to do the same.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented global impact, and when we learned about the unique Folding & Home initiative we immediately knew we had to help,” said Oneil Khosa, CEO of Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line. “We have an enormous amount of idle computing power at hand, given our ships are currently restricted from their normal operations, and this program gives us a way to utilize those resources, helping researchers who are working around the clock to find a coronavirus cure.

“We’re proud to part of this project and we are asking our industry partners and peers to commit their resources to the effort so we can help save lives, most importantly, while also putting the tourism industry on a path to recovery.”

The software is free and available to download for Windows, Mac and Linus. The more computers donated to the cause, the more simulations scientists can run.

“Now more than ever, the travel industry needs to band together and donate our resources to help researchers find a vaccine and successfully end this pandemic,” added Khosa.

For more information about the FAH Project, go to https://FoldingatHome.org/covid19.