Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 23/Jan 10:06

Blue Wave Harmony arrives to service seabridge

THE arrival of the MV Blue Wave Harmony, the passenger and cargo boat to replace the Cabo Star on the seabridge, arrived in Trinidad and Tobago on January 22 at the Port of Port of Spain. The Blue Wave Harmony will provide increased cargo capacity, enhanced refrigerated storage, and improved passenger accommodations, including cabins and onboard amenities. The vessel is also expected to improve operational reliability, with upgraded systems and built-in redundancies designed to reduce mechanical downtime – a longstanding concern for freight operators and travellers. Speaking with Newsday on January 22, Chairman of the Tobago Division of the TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce Curtis Williams said the division welcomes the arrival of the vessel, seeing it as a positive and timely development for inter-island cargo movement. ​“From a business standpoint, the continuity of cargo services between Trinidad and Tobago is absolutely critical. Many of our members – particularly in distribution, food and beverage, hardware, construction and retail – depend heavily on reliable sea transport to maintain inventory levels, manage costs, and meet customer demand.” The arrival of the vessel, he said, provides a level of reassurance to the business community, especially following concerns about gaps in service with the transition from the Cabo Star, which left on January 12. “At this early stage, our focus is on operational reliability, scheduling consistency, turnaround times and the vessel’s ability. We look forward to working with the Port Authority to have a seamless inter island cargo service.” Head of the Tobago Business Chamber Martin George said he remains concerned as his chamber has not been provided with any relevant information. “... the capacity of this vessel, the sailing times, the number of trucks or cars or how much cargo it can take, if it can also take passengers, how many sailings would be scheduled per day or per week. These are the logistical issues we thought would have been made clear, I mean not just to us but to the entire public, way in advance.” He said details about the cost of the vessel should be made public. “... the cost of leasing it, the cost of operating it, who will be the operators, who are the lessors, who are the persons leasing it – because at the end of the day if you are replacing something that was working, because the Cabo Star was working very efficiently on the route, save and except for when it had to go on drydocking or had to do other routine repairs, the Cabo Star was serving the route efficiently.” The post Blue Wave Harmony arrives to service seabridge appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.