Govt negotiating vessel to provide interim ferry service [1]
Wednesday, March 3, 2010 - 20:44. Updated on Friday, May 2, 2014 - 14:52.
The Tonga government is still negotiating a temporary inter-island ferry charter with the help of NZAID and Australia in order to restart the national inter-island service in April.
After an announcement by Dr Feleti Sevele on February 25 that a new vessel built in Malaysia had been identified to run a temporary inter-island ferry service, starting in early April, government officials from both sides are now saying that negotiations for a vessel are not finalised.
It was hoped that a temporary ferry would carry both passengers and general cargo between Nuku'alofa and the Ha'apai and Vava'u Groups and the Niuas, until the arrival of the new Olovaha in November.
Dr Sevele told Radio and Television Tonga on February 25 that the temporary vessel, from Malaysia would be charted by Australia and New Zealand at a cost of $5 million pa'anga for 12 months. He estimated that Australia and New Zealand would be paying out about $USD4000 daily toward the chartering of the vessel and the salaries of the crew.
"The vessel is 45 feet long and it can carry 200 tons of cargoes and 270 tons of fuel. . . .There are chairs for 50 passengers and a room with bunks for 21 passengers," he said.
Negotiation ongoing
However, yesterday the CEO for the Ministry of Transport, 'Eleni Mone said that negotiation was still ongoing and they could not give any details on the vessel.
The length of the vessel, which is probably 45 metres, rather than the "45 feet" announced, could not be confirmed.
The Prime Minister's Press Secretary Lopeti Senituli also could not confirm details of the vessel yesterday. "The negotiations for the vessel that will be acquired are still on-going and details will be made available to the public as soon as the negotiations are finalised," he said.
An NZAID communications advisor said yesterday that New Zealand in conjunction with Australia and the Government of Tonga has been facilitating a process to find a maritime charter operator to provide an interim ferry service in Tonga following the Princess Ashika tragedy.
"A vessel is currently under consideration but negotiations are ongoing and no arrangements have been finalised," he said.
Possible interim ferry
The vessel described by the Prime Minister, sounded similar to a vessel that had been identified and inspected by a team of Tongan shipping experts who went to Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia in the first week of February.
They inspected a newly built 45.5 meters flat bottom Landing Barge that is on dry dock in Sibu.
A Preliminary Inspection Report of the Barge as a "Possible Interim Ferry for Tonga" was prepared by two officials from the Ministry of Transport: 'Onesi Tu'ifua, a Marine Surveyor engineer and Lisiate Vuni Latu, a Marine Surveyor Nautical; along with Lieutenant Commander Siua Fifita, Chief Hydrographic Surveyor from the Tonga Defence Services Hydrographic Unit who went to Sibu.
Their report was made available during the inquiry into the sinking of the Princess Ashika when 'Ofa Finau an assistant secretary from the Ministry of Transport presented the report on 9 February.
The Tongan delegation stated in their report that their direction was, "to inspect the vessel for its suitability for Tonga's needs."
The Tongan inspection team was assisted by Steve Young, of the Pacific Shipping Ltd, who was hired by NZAID as the ship's broker. Also present was Dennis Nisbet, a New Zealander who owns a company that specializes in crewing and ships delivery. They were joined by Sunny Newitt, an Australian, who owns Comcove Pty Ltd, the owner of the new vessel, which was still on the slipway at the Far East Shipyard.
Concerns
The landing barge is 45.5 metres, with a breadth of 11 metres; it can carry 70 passengers and 10 crew-members with an unspecified quantity of general cargo. But there were a few areas of concern, including a low bulwarks height for ocean going voyages; a need for closed containers for cargoes; and the need to modify the boat deck of the vessel to accommodate passengers.
But in their report The Tongan delegation recommended that the Tongan government accept the landing barge; and that the vessel should to be registered in Tonga once it is delivered to enable temporary alterations to be carried out on the vessel, to fit Tonga's needs.
In conclusion, the delegation pointed out that because the vessel was brand new, it had yet to be surveyed and classed. The stability calculations had also to be done. "But despite these, the vessel seems to be appropriate for Tonga's needs, and above all is safe for both passengers and cargoes," the report stated.
Not the vessel
But 'Eleni Mone told Matangi Tonga yesterday that the flat bottom landing barge that was recommended by the Tongan inspection team "is not the vessel", and that they are still negotiating and she will get back with the details next week.