radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
Questions are being asked as to why the Carnival Runner, one of T&T’s 41-metre high-speed passenger catamaran ferries, was allowed to deteriorate to the extent that it started taking in water yesterday while anchored at the San Fernando Harbour.
The under-utilised ferry was one of four purchased by the National Infrastructure Development Company in August 2010 from Global Shipbuilder Austal to facilitate transportation between Port-of-Spain to San Fernando.
While investigations are ongoing as to why the vessel started to sink, NIDCO’s chairman Herbert George denied a fire in the hull was the cause of the problems.
Residents of Embaccadere, San Fernando told Guardian Media that people would board the ferry to smoke marijuana and that they saw a fire.
However, George vehemently denied that the engine room had been engulfed before the passenger ship started sinking.
“The vessel was taking in water and it is being pumped out. We are there doing that with Fire Services. Until that is completed so we can go down and look at the hull to determine whether it is a weak spot in the hull due to wear and tear. There is no new information I can give at this time. It is taking on a whole lot of water and it’s being pumped out,” George said.
He added, “There was absolutely no fire in any part of that vessel. It was anchored and it’s one of the vessels that has not been in regular service. I don’t know what she saw. There was no fire.”
But MP for Pointe-a-Pierre David Lee questioned why the vessel was left unmaintained and neglected for so long.
Exclusive footage obtained by Guardian Media’s cameraman Ivan Toolsie showed that plywood had been used to barricade the windows of the ferry. Moss was also seen on the vessel which appeared to be in a state of neglect.
“The rate at which this multi-million dollar vessel was sinking suggests that the vessel encountered a major problem with its hull or some other related issue. However, problems such as these are usually detected through proper, timely and adequate maintenance,” Lee said.
Workers try to save the Carnival Runner Water Taxi from sinking in the Gulf of Paria at the San Fernando harbour where the passenger ship is docked. (Image: IVAN TOOLISE)
He added, “Given that each year this Minister is allocated millions of dollars for the maintenance of these vessels, he must now tell the population when last this vessel was placed in the dry dock for repair.”
Lee called on Sinanan to say when the vessel was sufficiently inspected for safety measures.
“We have seen in the video that some of the glass windows of the vessel have been replaced by plywood, highlighting the possible neglect of the vessel. This matter must not be taken lightly or swept under the carpet as is the norm of this administration because had this occurred while in use or with passengers onboard, lives could have been lost,” he added.
Lee said the public needed answers and the government must provide a proper contingency plan to ensure there are no hindrances to the travelling public.
Works and Transport Minister responds
Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan told Guardian Media that he is expected to receive a report from NIDCO pending investigations.
Asked about the condition of the vessel, Sinanan said, “That vessel came off service in August 2015 because of lack of maintenance and the vessel was badly damaged and the estimated cost then was over $30 million to repair. Further estimates showed it would have cost more.”
He noted, “Between 2010 and 2015, a lot of vessels were not properly maintained and again that was the because of the lack of maintenance. In August 2015, that vessel came off and it was never reinstated because we have three other vessels which we inspect annually. Maintenance is on schedule and the water taxi is doing yeoman service,” Sinanan said.
He explained that the four water taxis had been bought in 2009 and commissioned in 2010.
“Due to financial constraints, NIDCO felt it was not prudent to repair it. The vessel is there, we will have to put in new engines, it will cost a lot/ We have three working vessels and from an economic point of view we don’t need to spend that money to repair that vessel,” Sinanan added.
Fishermen at sea pursuing their daily routines while in the background is the sinking Carnival Runner Water Taxi on Kings Wharf in San Fernando, yesterday.
RISHI RAGOONATH
So when asked what will become of the Carnival Runner, Sinanan said NIDCO will determine if it should be used for parts. He also said NIDCO did a budget recently to have the vessel back up and running so after completing its assessment on the cost of repairs and the cause of the recent damage, a decision will be taken by NIDCO as to what should be done about the Carnival Runner.
Meanwhile, in a statement, NIDCO said teams from NIDCO, Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service and the POS Regional Corporation have been working since 4 am to stabilize the vessel.
NIDCO said the water taxi has been “on laid up status” (not operational) before it began taking on water at about 4 am.
“Based on the current operations it is expected that the vessel will be stabilised before 1 pm today. Professional divers are also on-site to carry out an underwater investigation to determine the cause of the incident. The public will be provided with a further update once the investigation is completed,” NIDCO said.
The company also said that safety is the highest priority for the Water Taxi Service. “The two vessels which are currently being utilised on the service from POS to San Fernando continue to achieve their 100 per cent vessel reliability rate and a 98 per cent vessel safety index annually,” the company said.