TT Express electrical issue delays sailings

One day after PM Keith Rowley held a meeting with Tobago stakeholders over the ferry woes afflicting the sea bridge, passengers traveling from Tobago to Trinidad on the 6:30am sailing on Tuesday were asked to disembark the vessel after it experienced mechanical problems minutes before sailing.

Newsday Tobago understands that the vessel experienced electrical problems however, it eventually departed at 5.15 pm. The 4pm sailing from Port of Spain to Tobago, was also delayed.

Ferry passengers whose travel plans were disrupted by the the malfunctioning ferry moved to the ANR Robinson International airport in Cown Point to try to get on a flight to Trinidad, causing mass chaos at the airport around 6 pm last night.

Meanwhile Public relations Officer of the TT Inter-island Transportation Co, Vilma Lewis-Cockburn told Newsday Tobago on Tuesday that it is certain the T&T Express will operate and service the sea bridge, despite its mechanical problems and its overdue maintenance works until another alternative is available.

“There are no plans to send the water taxi out to assist the T&T Express for the rest of the week as the issue has already been address," she said last night in relation to the whole day delayed sailing.

"The T&T Express will be able to transport passengers until it goes on dry-dock in October when the T&T Spirit returns out to sea. I cannot say if the issues with the engine were resolved but what I can say is that the engine is working and the boat is still operating,” she said of theT&T Express.

In a release, the TT Inter-island Transportation Co apologised to those who were expected to travel to/from Trinidad and Tobago on the inter-island ferry service yesterday.

They said the existing problem on the TT Express which led to passengers being affected and has been addressed. They said the ferry departed Scarborough at 5.15 pm yesterday was expected to arrive at Port-of-Spain at 9.30 pm and then depart at 1 am today.