Galleons Passage completes maiden voyage

WORKS AND TRANSPORT Minister Rohan Sinanan says he hopes the first few trips of the Galleons Passage will restore confidence in the seabridge from Port of Spain to Scarborough. Speaking to media this morning, before the maiden commercial voyage of TT’s newest ferry, Sinanan said he was happy to prove naysayers wrong.

The Galleons Passage departed Port of Spain at 6.07 am and was scheduled to arrive in Scarborough at 11 am. Sinanan said the vessel, which is built to facilitate up to 700 passengers, had approximately 100 passengers aboard for the maiden commercial voyage.

“The process took some time because this is a brand-new vessel, and once it’s a brand-new vessel you have to meet all the certification requirements.”

He said the process also took time because the vessel was not built for this region, and therefore required reconfiguration.

Sinanan congratulated the team which, he said, “bent backwards” to ensure the new addition to the fleet of vessels.

Elizabeth Eastman, the first official passenger to check in, said she felt excited and honoured to be one of the first passengers aboard. Another passenger, John Chapman, said he was happy to travel on the Galleons Passage, after having not travelled via the inter-island seabridge in some time. He said he looked forward to returning to Port of Spain later today.

With the challenge of, what was described as, rough seas for some passengers while going through the Bocas en route to Scarborough, the vessel travelled powerfully at an estimated 25 knots. While in transit, most passengers said they felt comfortable and enjoyed the facilities aboard.

“The customer service and overall ambience of the Galleons Passage is impressive,” said Eastman. Chapman, upon arrival in Scarborough, said he likes the boat, but he thinks it has some slack ends that shook a little too much.

“The water was not rough, the water was good, but the boat needs some work.”

Another passenger said the trip from Port of Spain was great, not too rough, and he was impressed with the vessel.

Arriving at about 10.30 am, the vessel was earlier than the 11 am estimate. It took another 15 minutes to dock, after which there was a short ribbon-cutting ceremony. Sinanan cut the ribbon and the vessel was blessed.

Sinanan said, “Myself, the staff at the National Infrastructure Development Company Ltd (NIDCO) and the Port Authority feel very relieved that we could have delivered this vessel to you all today.”

He said he is now confident that the challenges on the seabridge is over.

“I say so on the background that we have in service now two passenger vessels, the brand-new Galleons Passage, and the refurbished TT Spirit. We also have the Cabo Star, which is our cargo vessel, now doing the trip in six hours, and its capacity surpasses that which is required for inter-island transportation at this time.”

Sinanan said a tender is out for a third passenger vessel which should be closing in mid-November, and an additional vessel which will also transport cargo. He said when the suitable vessels are available they will be engaged, which will see the plan going forward for TT to have two new state-of-the-art, customised, passenger vessels delivered by 2020.

The TT Spirit will then be removed from service, and the new vessel will travel between Toco and Tobago.

“What we will have is two points of entry to Tobago, one in Toco, and the other in Port of Spain. Port of Spain will have two fast ferries operating, and the third from Toco.”

This, he said, should facilitate a capacity of 2,500 seats per day, more that what TT requires currently.

“We intend to bring back that confidence in the seabridge where you can go to the port and be almost guaranteed a seat to come to Tobago.”

Sinanan said he was thankful for the patience of TT, and confident that the seabridge fiasco is over.