A Caribbean private sector group plans to launch a regional ferry service by year-end that would eventually benefit several regional countries, including Saint Lucia.
The group, Connect Caribe, anticipates securing the US$50 million needed to make a modern regional cargo and ferry service a reality.
Newsroom Guyana reported that a passenger and cargo service would benefit Guyana, Barbados, Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Vincent, Grenada, Dominica, Antigua, and other eastern Caribbean islands.
Connect Caribe envisions that a cargo service would later ply the Guyana and Suriname routes.
Three vessels would be involved in weekly and daily round trips transporting up to 8,000 passengers and goods.
However, the investors have indicated that their initiative is separate from the Barbados, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago plan to start a new ferry service among them.
Dr. Andre Thomas is the chairman and chief executive officer of Upturn Funds Caribbean-Pleion Group Inc.
On Tuesday, Thomas told a news conference that the latest proposed ferry initiative would complement the planned service among Barbados, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago.
“There is a significant discussion on how we can integrate and tackle this huge opportunity and problem. I believe that where there are problems, there are opportunities,” he told reporters.
Thomas disclosed there would be ‘significant collaboration’ with the planned government ferry service.
He also indicated that when operational, the private sector-led ferry service would create jobs in the region, with over 200 people employed in the project’s first phase.
Tore Torsteinson, the CEO of Windward Ferries, another partner in the private sector-led ferry project, described it as a great initiative.
Headline photo: A vessel from Windward Ferries Limited, one of the private sector companies that are a part of the consortium.
How many time have we been promised ferry service between the islands??? I’ll believe it when I see it!
AGAIN?
This would be about the 3rd of 4th venture into this regional “ferry service” which is highly overdue.
NES there is a ferry service between the islands. You can take a ferry fro Guadeloupe all the way to St. Lucia
And they will be called: Lady Joy, Michael David, and Confidence.
Brilliant idea, however wouldn’t it be good idea if the ferries used the ports of Vieux Fort or Soufriere? Don’t forget people in the south would want to use it. It would save two hours of travel at stupid o’clock to catch a ferry.
Basil B
Good point. Perhaps they should stop at both ports to pick up passengers. That would serve both markets efficiently. That could even serve as local ferry of sorts to avoid those reckless bus drivers.
@James … the ferry service you refer to is “L’express des Isles” which only serves SLU, Martinique, Dominica and Guadeloupe = FOUR islands!! Be informed.
The Caribbean needs more than that.
The existing ferry services at present cannot accommodate mass transit or significant cargo for that matter. I leave in Dominica. I want to be able to travel to Trinidad to purchase supplies and head back the next day with my cargo or send my order and my goods are dropped off at a port in Roseau or Portsmouth. People are apprehensive about the news because it has been long awaited. Our myopic leaders and government don’t see the insular Caribbean as a potential market for trade. So sad. Never the less the move is a welcomed one.
IS Yes it serves between these islands. NES suggested there was no services whatsoever. Learn to understand.
@Cyrille John
It takes up to 4 hours to take a ferry from POS to Tobago. Hard to imagine how you would be able to pull off what you’re suggesting. It takes L’Express 4 hours to St. Lucia from Dominica. 90 minutes from St. Lucia to Martinique. A direct flight is 15 minutes. It takes the ferry 6x the time. So that is easily 24 hours to Trinidad and 24 hours back. But the service would be useful to move cargo no doubt.
How far is this ferry service from being up and running please. Will it be available from this June?