Montserrat, Antigua & Barbuda move to a long term ferry solution
November 7, 2009
BRADES, Montserrat (OCM) -- The Montserrat-Antigua travel route will
undergo a major enhancement with the addition of a long term ferry
service in January 2010. Sailing under the name Fjortoft, the new ferry
will be operated jointly by the government of Montserrat, the
government of Antigua, and the Barbuda Island Council, and is a
101-seater vessel capable to 28 knots.
The
ferry sails from Southampton, England on November 17, and will arrive
in St Thomas, USVI, on December 6. The first sailing will take place in
early 2010 as the ferry will go through its final checks to be
commissioned and licensed in St Kitts during the last two weeks of
December.
The government of Montserrat moved to cover the high
travel period in December by contracting a short term ferry, similar to
last year. This service will begin on December 2 and will be for at
least six weeks.
These arrangements were spearheaded by Charles
Kirnon, Minister of Communications and Works with assistance from the
interim access coordinator, Oral Martin and members of the recently
formed access committee.
The ferry has the potential to move
up to 400 persons per week on regularly scheduled service, a number
that translates into over 20,000 persons per year. These additional
seats will help to boost the economy, especially the vital tourism
sector including day tours, one of the island’s newest businesses.
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