KINGSTON - Following major rehabilitative upgrades, the MV Barima has significantly reduced its travel time, a move that has been deemed as “historic” by the management of the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD).
According to Yurlander Haynes, General Manager (ag) of T&HD, the MV Barima made its maiden trip to the North-West District on Friday April 21 in an unprecedented 21 hours. Typically, the journey takes 30-40 hours, she said. The vessel returned to Georgetown on Wednesday April 26.
The recommissioning of the MV Barima means that the residents of the North-West District will have more frequent service – at least two trips each in Port Kaituma and Kumaka. Previously, the Lady Northcote was making two trips to Kumaka and just one to Port Kaituma each month. Now, this number will increase and passengers will spend less time travelling.
The MV Barima was decommissioned in early March after being docked for rehabilitation since November 2015. It included the replacement and repair of underwater fittings, including the propellers and rudders; scraping and painting of the hull; installation of two main engines; painting of the interior and exterior of the ferry; installation of new seats for the passengers; and the upgrade of crew cabins. The ferry also benefited from improved safety thanks to 250 new life jackets and the addition of fire extinguishers. The project cost was $150.6M.
