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SLOW BOAT TO ‘BAGO
Miranda La Rose
SOMETHING LIKE THIS: The MV Nova Star, whose sister ship has been earmarked by government for the local seabridge, is a fancy cruiseship equipped with a helicopter landing pad.
A fancy cruiseferry, equipped with a helicopter landing pad, but with a slower sailing speed than conventional fast ferries, is to be procured by Government from a shipbuilding yard in Singapore to be put into operation on the seabridge.
A government source said that the state is negotiating with Singapore Technologies Marine Ltd (ST Marine) to purchase the vessel, which was built by its subsidiary Singapore Technologies Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd.
Asked to confirm this information, Finance Minister Colm Imbert, who heads the Cabinet sub-committee mandated to search for a vessel for the beleaguered seabridge, told Newsday, “As the PM said, it’s coming from Asia. You know that Asia is a big place. I don’t leak.” The new vessel is reportedly larger than the T&T Spirit and the T&T Express, with more passenger and vehicle capacity.
Earlier in the week Imbert had told Newsday the new vessel would be in TT within the next two months. The vessel is reportedly the sister to the MV Nova Star – a cruiseferry which was also built by ST Shipbuilding and Engineering. The Nova Star, owned by ST Marine, is currently operating on a charter between Algeciras, Spain and Tangier, Morocco. It previously operated for two seasons between Portland, Maine and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, by Nova Star Cruises.
A cruiseferry is defined as a ship that combines the features of a cruise ship with a “Ro-Pax ferry,” which is a conventional ferry with a large garage intake and a relatively large passenger capacity. Of the vessel, the source said, “It is an extremely large ship and is extremely slow.” Unlike the T&T Spirit, which travels at 42 to 46.5 knots an hour and the T&T Express at 38 to 40 knots an hour, the new vessel reportedly travels at about 22 knots an hour.
Another government source who would neither confirm nor deny the origin of the vessel told Newsday, “Even though the vessel may be a tad slower than the fast ferries, it would be ideal and comfortable, not only for local and foreign tourists, but also in marketing Tobago as a tourism destination.”
The Nova Star, which has 163 cabins, accommodates up to 1,215 passengers and has the capacity to carry 336 cars. It also has eating and entertainment facilities and play area for children and a helicopter landing pad.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said in an address to the nation that a vessel had been found and should arrive within weeks from a port in Asia. “We had all the necessary inspection, examination certification checks and sea trial were done on this vessel and after all satisfactory reports were obtained, steps have now been taken to purchase this vessel,” the prime minister said.
Slow boat to cost US$17M
Miranda La Rose
The cost of the cruiseferry Government is acquiring for the seabridge is priced at US$17.4 million and has a capacity to accommodate 700 passengers and 100 vehicles, Finance Minister Colm Imbert said yesterday.
During the question and answer session in the House of Representatives, Imbert compared the cost of purchasing the T&T Express which was US$20 million in 2006, when it was ten years old, and a year later, buying the T&T Spirit for US$60 million, when it was three years old. This vessel being purchased, he reiterated, is “brand new.”
During the procurement process, Imbert said, the vessel was subjected to intensive sea trials. “That is what has happened over the last month. The vessel was identified by way of a world wide search using international experts and the vessel has been procured by NIDCO.” Former transport minister Stephen Cadiz yesterday had his doubts on Imbert’s claims.
“You cannot buy a brand new ferry for the seabridge at US$17.4 million. If what the Finance Minister says is true, then something is very odd,” Cadiz said. “The biggest issue in the acquisition of this vessel,” Cadiz said, “is the procurement procedure.” With accusations flying left, right and centre, Cadiz said Imbert’s statement to Newsday on Thursday when asked for info on the newly acquired vehicle, that “I don’t leak”, is not a responsible one.
“It is not about leaking information. You don’t have to ‘leak’ when taxpayers must be apprised about how you are spending their money.”
While Imbert claims there was a world wide search by international experts for the vessel, Cadiz said, there is no news anywhere from international brokers about TT buying a vessel.
Having four ministers procure a vessel and having the National Infrastructural Development Company rubber stamp said purchase, Cadiz said, is unheard of in public procurement. “Ministers at no time are allowed to be involved in any procurement procedure. This really stinks to high heaven,” he said.
Meanwhile, Imbert yesterday lambasted Newsday’s lead story in yesterday’s paper headlined, ‘Slow Boat To‘Bago’ saying in a press release, “there is absolutely no truth” to it. This story, he said, was completely erroneous, false and misleading.
“The reality is that Government is in the process of finalising the acquisition of a suitable brand-new roll on/roll off (ROPAX) vessel to accommodate passengers and vehicles for the inter-island ferry service, and as further details become available, further information will be made public.”
Imbert’s release however failed to indicate what in Newsday’s story was ‘erroneous, false and misleading’, and efforts to reach him for clarification yesterday proved futile. Newsday reported that the ferry being acquired was built by Singapore Technologies Shipbuilding and Engineering Limited.
A marine industry source yesterday told this reporter the vessel was built to order by a customer who later refused to accept it. As such, it was not one that was built and kept in storage awaiting a buyer. “Therefore, it is not brand new as the minister (Imbert) is claiming,” the source said.
zoom rader wrote:^^^ Why this in PNM colours and not the National colours
The_Honourable wrote:The Galleons Passage is the new ferry which has been purchased by the Government to service the inter-island route.
Minister of Finance, Colm Imbert, said the vessel, which was bought for US$17.4 million, is a bargain for a brand new boat.
The Minister also confirmed that the vessel is expected to be used in tandem with the T&T Express and T&T Spirit, with the hope that it will allow for proper maintenance rotation.
Minister Imbert said the vessel is ideal for Government's planned Toco to Scarborough route.
zoom rader wrote:Anyone knows what time this vessel takes to reach Tobago?
If that's the case it would be best suited to do the Toco to bago run at a shorter time .teems1 wrote:zoom rader wrote:Anyone knows what time this vessel takes to reach Tobago?
http://www.looptt.com/content/10-things-know-about-new-passenger-ferry
It says 4hrs for the new ferry.
It also compares the Express and Spirit which initially took 3.5hrs but after years of wear/tear it ended up being around 4hrs.
............ 
Rovin's Audio wrote:cuda name it d T&T BLIGHT in honor of rowleee & d poo nm .....
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