KINGSTON - Motor Vessel Lady Northcote today, December 2, 2015, set sail for Port Kaituma, Region One, months after it was docked for major repair works.
Loaded with people, cargo and vehicles, Lady Northcote departed from the Water Street Wharf, Kingston shortly after 11:00hrs. The wharf was a hive of activity; crew members of Lady Northcote milled around to ensure that everything was in working condition while passengers prepared themselves for the long journey.
In September, Lady Northcote was docked at the E.C. Vieira Dockyard in Houston, East Bank Demerara to undergo major rehabilitation. E.C. Vieira Investments Limited completed the job last week to the tune of $140M.
Amongst the extensive works done to Lady Northcote were the repair of its hull; servicing of all on-board machinery; improvement of interior and exterior decking and upgrades to the main and passenger decks. The facilities on-board were also improved through the upgrade of the galley while the vessel’s crew will be more comfortable thanks to improved beds and washroom facilities.
Additionally, the offloading and loading capabilities were improved while all of the vessel’s plates were changed. In terms of safety, the vessel now holds 100 life rafts. The underwater propellers were also completely rebuilt.
With this overhaul, it is expected that Lady Northcote will arrive at its destination in less than 24 hours, a considerable decline from its previous 36 hours travel time.
Lady Northcote was last week taken for a test sail along the Demerara River, which was deemed successful by the engineering team.
At 78-years-old, the vessel is the oldest in the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) fleet.
