Fast Ferry Service Coming to Eastern Caribbean
A fast ferry service for the Eastern Caribbean is to be established, Transport Minister Devant Maharaj announced yesterday.
Speaking at yesterday's post-Cabinet news conference at the Diplomatic Center, St Ann's, Maharaj said the company managing the service, Fast Caribbean Ltd, has agreed to provide 100,000 seats per year at a special price of $10 a ticket but the average price for citizens of Trinidad and Tobago would be between $25 and $35 a seat.
The ferry will also carry goods. Maharaj said a Cabinet appointed team is in negotiations with the company to set up the ferry service. He stressed though that the initiative was a private sector one and that Government would be putting no cash in the service.
"This fast ferry proposal which the team would be reviewing proposes to launch the service in 2012 and it would be headquartered in Port of Spain," he said. Phase one of the service will offer trips to the islands of Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Lucia and Barbados.
"Fast Caribbean Ltd, Barbados-based consortium, will charter from owners Montrose Global a 112-metre wave piercing catamaran similar to those operating on the Trinidad and Tobago route," Maharaj said.
He said a minimum capital start up of $12 million was required for the service. But he noted that the private sector team was proposing to raise some $20 million. The catamarans would leave the Port of Port of Spain at 6 a.m. and arrive in Barbados (the last stop on its route) at 6 p.m.
Government first announced its intention to have a ferry service linking Trinidad and Tobago and the Eastern Caribbean in September 2011 and invited proposals from suitable investors in October 2011.
Five companies responded and Fast Ferry Caribbean Ltd was selected. The Cabinet appointed team charged with reviewing the company's proposals comprises the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, the CEO of the Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago, a representative of the Ministry of Finance and a representative of the Ministry of Attorney General.
