DRY DOCKING OF KUNTA KINTEH FERRY FOR REPAIRS AND INSTALLATION OF NEW ENGINES

The Kunta Kinteh Ferry was dry docked at the Banjul Shipyard on Friday 22nd March 2024 for underwater repairs, scraping and removal of marine growth, sandblasting, welding and painting. The works will also involve installation of the new engines and propellers to enhance the technical suitability of the Ferry to provide safer and more reliable service along the Banjul and Barra Crossing Points.
The works are expected to last for 6 weeks. However, Management has deployed resources and a repair team to work in shifts for 24 hours engagements with a view to facilitating completion of the works ahead of schedule and the subsequent redeployment of the Ferry back to service.

The cost of the new engines, propulsion systems, Shipyard materials and resources is at Euros 1.2 million.

Following the repairs on Kunta kinteh, the Kanilai Ferry will also be witndrawn for similar works, to ensure improvement in service delivery along Banjul and Barra while the acquisition of the 2 new ferries is being processed.

Government has secured grant funding of USD 13 million from Africa Development Bank for the purchase of one new Green energy efficient ferry, while the GPA and Ferries Management are committed to finance the second one. The draft contract with the shipbuilder DAMEN SHIPYARDS of The Netherlands has been submitted to ADB for their no-objection, and once obtained the contract will be signed hopefully in April for the design and build contract to be delivered after 16 months of signing.

Government is aware/cognizant of the need to provide efficient and reliable ferry service, thus the current efforts to repair the current fleet and the purchase of 2 additional ferries.

GPA

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