Post by ferryfast admin on Sept 11, 2007 11:45:38 GMT -5
US$120m for four water taxi's
Ariti Jankie South Bureau
Trinidad Express
www.trinidadexpress.com/
Tuesday, September 11th 2007
Four ferries, costing US$30 million each, with a capacity to hold up to 400 passengers, will soon be in Trinidad from the United States to begin the much-touted water taxi service, it was learned yesterday.
The Water and Sewerage Authority's operations near the jetty site for the ferries are being moved from the waterfront area off Lady Hailes Avenue, San Fernando.
They are to be used by motorists to park their vehicles while they use the ferry to get to Port of Spain.
The ferries could also be used on the Tobago route in cases of emergency, sources said.
The water taxi service, it was also learned, will not get started until almost year's end.
"We are looking at the middle of December," said an official of the National Infrastructure Development Company, which is currently carrying out the infrastructural works on the project which was approved by Cabinet to the tune of $98 million.
NIDCO officials recently wrapped up purchase of the vessels, it was pointed out.
Currently dredging continues apace at the San Fernando harbour to facilitate a channel as a temporary measure until work on a permanent jetty is completed.
Originally the service, which covers the Port of Spain to San Fernando run, was to have started in July.
Work started in San Fernando on the venture in May.
The start up date was then shifted to August and later to the end of this month.
The service is to be extended to Point Fortin.
The four high-speed vessels were recommended by a NIDCO team led by chairman David Brash after a search for suitable vessels in New York and Connecticut in the US.
Works Minister Colm Imbert has told the Express that the availability of the vessels was crucial since the ministry experienced problems in acquiring vessels that were at the time of purchase found to be unavailable.
NIDCO employed international experts in shipping to advise them on the vessels that require a channel of at least eight feet in depth.
Imbert said that dredging would be done to a depth of 12 feet providing four feet of additional depth.
"NIDCO is preparing a channel ten feet deep to allow the service to begin but would continue work to widen the depth," he said.
Dredging of the existing channel will allow vessels to come up to the shore, it was pointed out and would provide temporary facilities while work continued on the construction of a permanent jetty in the same area.
A second set of piles to accommodate the construction of a 500-foot long permanent jetty underway.
Pile driving was delayed due to industrial action taken by Petrotrin workers who were supplying the piles.
Imbert said earlier that the fabrication of piles was responsible for the slow progress of the work.
Berthing facilities in San Fernando, Imbert had said, was a major setback to the water taxi service.
Ariti Jankie South Bureau
Trinidad Express
www.trinidadexpress.com/
Tuesday, September 11th 2007
Four ferries, costing US$30 million each, with a capacity to hold up to 400 passengers, will soon be in Trinidad from the United States to begin the much-touted water taxi service, it was learned yesterday.
The Water and Sewerage Authority's operations near the jetty site for the ferries are being moved from the waterfront area off Lady Hailes Avenue, San Fernando.
They are to be used by motorists to park their vehicles while they use the ferry to get to Port of Spain.
The ferries could also be used on the Tobago route in cases of emergency, sources said.
The water taxi service, it was also learned, will not get started until almost year's end.
"We are looking at the middle of December," said an official of the National Infrastructure Development Company, which is currently carrying out the infrastructural works on the project which was approved by Cabinet to the tune of $98 million.
NIDCO officials recently wrapped up purchase of the vessels, it was pointed out.
Currently dredging continues apace at the San Fernando harbour to facilitate a channel as a temporary measure until work on a permanent jetty is completed.
Originally the service, which covers the Port of Spain to San Fernando run, was to have started in July.
Work started in San Fernando on the venture in May.
The start up date was then shifted to August and later to the end of this month.
The service is to be extended to Point Fortin.
The four high-speed vessels were recommended by a NIDCO team led by chairman David Brash after a search for suitable vessels in New York and Connecticut in the US.
Works Minister Colm Imbert has told the Express that the availability of the vessels was crucial since the ministry experienced problems in acquiring vessels that were at the time of purchase found to be unavailable.
NIDCO employed international experts in shipping to advise them on the vessels that require a channel of at least eight feet in depth.
Imbert said that dredging would be done to a depth of 12 feet providing four feet of additional depth.
"NIDCO is preparing a channel ten feet deep to allow the service to begin but would continue work to widen the depth," he said.
Dredging of the existing channel will allow vessels to come up to the shore, it was pointed out and would provide temporary facilities while work continued on the construction of a permanent jetty in the same area.
A second set of piles to accommodate the construction of a 500-foot long permanent jetty underway.
Pile driving was delayed due to industrial action taken by Petrotrin workers who were supplying the piles.
Imbert said earlier that the fabrication of piles was responsible for the slow progress of the work.
Berthing facilities in San Fernando, Imbert had said, was a major setback to the water taxi service.