PM tours Buccoo Reef ferry before maiden voyage

THE Prime Minister led a team of government officials on a tour of the newly acquired Buccoo Reef before the vessel's maiden commercial journey on Friday from Trinidad to Tobago.

The high-speed passenger catamaran joins the recently-commissioned APT James on the inter-island seabridge.

In a post on his Facebook page, Dr Rowley said with the procurement of these two vessels, his Government has delivered on its promise to ensure reliable ferry services between the islands.

Rowley was joined on the tour at the Port in Port of Spain by Senate Vice President Nigel De Freitas, Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young and Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts Randall Mitchell.

Constructed by Australian shipbuilder Incat, the 100-metre Buccoo Reef can accommodate 1,000 passengers, including crew, and 239 vehicles.

This vessel can travel at a top speed of 45.3 knots. According to marinetraffic.com – an open, community-based website which provides real-time information on the movement and current location of ships in harbours and ports – the MV Buccoo Reef's journey to Tobago on Friday took two hours and 40 minutes.