Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - Hier 04:31

Connect Caribe: Regional ferry set to sail by March

CONNECT Caribe says it is now aiming to begin its regional ferry sailings within the first quarter of 2025. Initially set to begin sailing in August 2024, the company said the unsuitability of the recommended vessels, among other things, led to the delay. Connect Caribe, a subsidiary of Barbadian maritime company Pleion Group Inc, said it was working on a regional ferry service in January 2024. It said this would include three vessels – an 800-passenger cruise ship, a 400-passenger fast ferry and a dedicated cargo vessel. Initially, the team said intra-regional sailings would begin in November 2024. But at a press conference on May 13, Pleion Group CEO Dr Andre Thomas said that timeline was “accelerated” through two recent partnerships. The inter-island ferry was then set to begin sailings in August, but this did not happen. The company's website says the first stage of its planned route includes Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and TT. Sunday Newsday sent an e-mail to the company on December 23, 2024, and received a reply on January 6. Newsday had asked what caused the delay and for the new potential date for sailings to begin. The company said, “We are currently working towards a first-quarter (Between January and March) start of operations.” It said a large vessel would service the northern route and another one for the southern. “It is very possible for one route as explained above to start before the other. “At this juncture, we are unable to give specifics.” It added that a cargo vessel will cover the Trinidad-Suriname-Barbados route. On its website, the company says it is currently “acquiring ships” and “will take a phased approach to route development. “We intend at the end of this phased approach to add all of the Caricom nations including Martinique, Guadeloupe, St Maarten, British Virgin Islands and US Virgin Islands.” But in a press release issued on January 31, after Newsday asked for another update, the company said it is making “steady progress.” Pleion Group Inc communications director Jennifer Highland said the vessels initially recommended were not suitable for Caribbean waters. “After a thorough evaluation, our ferry committee identified compatibility issues with the proposed vessels, particularly due to low tide conditions at a key port and the smaller ports across the region. As a result, key negotiations began in earnest last year for the provision of suitable vessels and operational partnership with two leading European ferry companies.” She said the company anticipates a positive outcome as “we seek to ensure the smoothest start to the delivery of our service and the minimisation of risk to our operations.” The press release added that a key result of stakeholder engagement was adding the US Virgin Islands into its business model. “The region plays a critical role in trade between the US and the Caribbean. “Through the public-private partnership agreement with the Governor of the USVI, (we) have committed to establishing a maritime logistics hub that will efficiently redistribute this trade across the Caribbean, while also facilitating faster and more affordable access for Caribbean products entering US markets.” This, it said, will ensure sustainability by “guaranteeing full container loads – essential for the long-term success of any private-sector venture.” Connect Caribe board member Brendon Mohammed said the company remains committed to transforming regional connectivity. “This project is not just about improving transportation, it’s about opening new doors for trade, particularly for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and creating stronger economic opportunities across Caricom. “By streamlining trade facilitation, we aim to contribute significantly to the region’s food security and ensure that Caribbean businesses and consumers alike benefit from a more efficient way of moving people and products." It also said that the cargo route for South America and the Caribbean, which includes Barbados, Trinidad, Guyana and Suriname. Highland added, “The stakeholder engagement process across these territories has taken longer than expected, but we have received positive feedback from key entities and remain actively engaged with our stakeholders. “While this process has required additional time, achieving a successful rollout has required careful planning and strategic co-ordination. However, we are confident that the outcomes will set a new standard for regional connectivity and trade efficiency.” Caricom had also proposed a similar initiative in January 2024 but never gave a clear timeline. TT, Barbados, Guyana and Suriname had indicated they were in talks to develop a regional ferry service. Newsday e-mailed Office of the Caricom secretariat which said officials from Barbados would be best suited to provide an update. However, to date, e-mails and follow-ups to the related representatives have gone unanswered. The post Connect Caribe: Regional ferry set to sail by March appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.