Less than two weeks after joining the T&T Spirit on the seabridge, the Galleons Passage developed mechanical problems on Friday and stopped in the high seas for more than 15 minutes for the crew on board to determine the source of the problem.
The return sailing from Tobago was cancelled. Technicians are expected to carry out investigations before the vessel returns to service.
Confirmed passengers will be accommodated on the 7.30 am sailing of the T&T Spirit on Saturday.
The vessel left the Port of Port-of-Spain just after 6 am on Friday, on what was its thirteenth sailing on the seabridge. The vessel sails four days a week Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays from Port-of-Spain to Scarborough and a return trip from Scarborough to Port-of-Spain.
In a statement the National Infrastructure Development Company (NIDCO) which has responsibility for the vessel confirmed that the vessel “experienced a delay” on the morning sailing to Tobago.
According to NIDCO, a decision was taken by the Master to reduce the speed of the vessel “after an alert was seen on the bridge.”
NIDCO said the vessel was stopped for 15 minutes between 9.15 a.m. and 9.30 a.m.to allow the engineering crew to conduct preliminary checks on the source of the alert, once the checks were completed, the vessel resumed sailing.
But the speed was reduced to 15 knots and the vessel which has previously taken just under four and a half hours on the trip took almost six hours to make the trip to Tobago arriving at around 12.30 pm.
NIDCO said, “further investigations” were to be done on the vessel when it arrived in Tobago. It said the safety of the public “remains our number one priority.”
Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan told Guardian Media there was “no cause for concern at this time.”
He said, “these minor mechanical challenges will happen from time to time,” which he said is “normal on any new or old vessel.”
Sinanan said that is why there were “contingencies” in place which include having technical management services and engineers on board the vessel.
Chairman of the Port Authority Lyle Alexander agreed there was no cause to worry. He said, “if you have a vehicle out of a showroom it can develop mechanical issues, it is a mechanical device. Mechanical devices give mechanical problems,” Alexander said.
He said he was “comforted’ by the fact that the vessel made the trip to Tobago, although it took a little longer.
Passengers on board the vessel told Guardian Media that the captain did make an announcement when the vessel experienced problems indicating that they would stop for a while.
Passenger Selena Arthur, of the Matura Secondary School, described the boat ride from Port-of-Spain to Tobago as “one of the worst experiences.”
Another passenger school teacher Gandhi Kalloo also described it as one of the “worst experiences.” He said he spent most of his time on board the vessel “vomiting.”
Only on Tuesday, Sinanan said in the first week of sailing, the Galleons Passage, had made ten trips and carried 1, 862 passengers and 400 vehicles.