[UPDATED] Weekend sailings on ferries cancelled

All this weekend's sailings of passenger ferries the Buccoo Reef and APT James have been cancelled owing to changes announced to curfew hours by Government for Saturday and Sunday. On both days, non-essential movement will only be allowed between 5 am and 10 am.

The 8.30 am and 2 pm sailings of the APT James on Labour Day – this Saturday – and the 9.30 am and 2 pm sailings of the Buccoo Reef on Sunday will be affected.

The Cabo Star’s Sunday sailing has also been cancelled. The last cargo sailing will be on Friday. The boat usually doesn’t operate on Saturday, and will only leave Tobago on Saturday to return to Trinidad.

The Trinidad and Tobago Inter-Island Transportation Co Ltd (TTIT) announced the changes on Wednesday morning in a press release.

Passengers affected by these changes will be accommodated on future sailings based on availability, the release added.

Port Authority of TT (PATT) chairman Lyle Alexander told Newsday the Port at Port of Spain and Scarborough Port would be prepared to deal with the rush in the next two days to get to and from Tobago before curfew begins, and the backlog that may happen on Monday.

“From the loads we have been seeing and the number of tickets that have been booked, we think that the fallout from the announcement will be well catered for, given the resources we have now.

PATT predicts fewer people will be travelling on Monday.

"If there is a backlog we will be able to work out any additional requirements that turn up on that day.”

Currently, the sea bridge is operating at 25 per cent capacity.

Alexander said each ferry vessel has been transporting 250 passengers per trip and, with the cancellation of four sailings, the port anticipates and has made arrangements for clusters in the coming days.

“Crowd is relative, but whatever passengers turns up for travel, will be dealt with using the covid19 procedures that are in place at the moment.

“We have an idea of what the moods are like so we are hoping not everyone booked to travel on Sunday, travels on Monday. We’ll work it out.”

Cargo will not be seriously affected as the vessel still operates at 100 per capacity for transporting trucks with goods.

Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan, in response to a question in Parliament on Wednesday about how the travelling public would be affected by the curfew, said TTIT would have sent out a notice of the cancellation of sailing via traditional and social media.

"They were also advised that tickets already purchased can be used to travel at any further date."

He also spoke about Caribbean Airlines and other airlines flying into Piarco.

"With respect to Caribbean Airlines, in accordance with previous changes made in accordance with the Health Ordinance governing the curfew operations, schedules will be amended to coincide with the hours of curfew and to mitigate slight disruption to the travelling public, passengers will be notified in advance through regular channels.

"There will be no charge for changing the dates of travel. International flights would have been considered, that is why the curfew for the weekend would have been announced to ensure that all plans are made, not only with Caribbean Airlines but with other airlines as well."
(With reporting by Paula Lindo)

This story has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

All weekend sailing on passenger ferries the Buccoo Reef and APT James have been cancelled due to changes in curfew hours.

The 8.30 am and 2 pm sailings on the APT James on Labour Day this Saturday and the 9.30 am and 2 pm sailings on the Buccoo Reef on Sunday will be affected.

The Trinidad and Tobago Inter-Island Transportation Co Ltd (TTIT) announced this on Wednesday morning in a press release.

Passengers affected by these changes will be accommodated on future sailings based on availability, the release added.

All weekend sailing on passenger ferries the Buccoo Reef and APT James have been cancelled due to changes in curfew hours.

The 8.30 am and 2 pm sailings on the APT James on Labour Day this Saturday and the 9.30 am and 2 pm sailings on the Buccoo Reef on Sunday will be affected.

The Trinidad and Tobago Inter-Island Transportation Co Ltd (TTIT) announced this on Wednesday morning in a press release.

Passengers affected by these changes will be accommodated on future sailings based on availability, the release added.