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The Port Authority of T&T is currently seeking a temporary replacement for the Cabo Star cargo vessel which will go on dry-docking next month. But the authority has contingencies in case no replacement is found.
Port Authority acting CEO Vilma Lewis-Cockburn confirmed this yesterday after simmering concerns by Tobago businesspeople about the upcoming dry-docking of the vessel over the September 20-30.
“We have arrangements in place to ensure the cargo transport requirements of the Tobago seabridge are met during the 10 days of the Cabo Star’s dry docking,” Lewis-Cockburn added.
The PATT notified the Tobago Chamber on July 31 that the vessel would be dry-docked for 10 days for maintenance work to improve its speed. The port wrote the Chamber again a couple weeks ago stating attempts were being made to secure an appropriate vessel for use while the Cabo Star is dry-docked. But the Port added, “Our investigations thus far haven’t been successful.”
While the Port continues seeking a vessel, one contingency plan is having the Cabo Star sail every Saturday from this coming Saturday (August 25) to ensure there is no backlog of cargo and to assist Tobago businesspeople in expediting stocking up plans, Lewis-Cockburn said. Before the vessel is dry-docked it will also focus on transporting heavy trucks taking stock to Tobago.
Lewis-Cockburn said the PATT was still trying to source another vessel but hadn’t found one yet.
But other Port sources explained that it takes time for a vessel to come to T&T and most require a longer contract than 10 days even for temporary work. They said the Atlantic Provider barge, which was used previously PATT, wasn’t an option being considered.
Tobago Chamber of Commerce member Diane Hadad expressed concern that the impending dry-docking situation would be detrimental for Tobago business people—even with contingency measures.
Before ferry issues arose in the last year, many businesspeople obtained goods on credit if they had to stock up for periods, including when the boats weren’t working, she noted.
“In current circumstances in Tobago, where we’re not selling the same amounts as before - we’re selling 45 to 50 per cent less - we no longer have the financial trust of suppliers or financial capacity to get more goods to stock up with,” Hadad told the T&T Guardian.
“Also, Trinidad merchants have been ‘locking down’ on us for a long while and would hardly give us extra lines of credit now. They already have problems getting foreign exchange and they won’t give us credit when they can sell goods to Trinidad businesspeople—we’re waiting to see how this works out.”