No quick end to Likoni crossing nightmare despite new ferries

Commuters hoping that scenes like this at the Likoni crossing will soon be a thing of the past might have to wait longer because the new ferries, expected in Mombasa in a month’s time, might not start work soon. Photo/GIDEON MAUNDU

What you need to know:

  • Land for expansion of boarding ramps for the bigger vessels still to be acquired

Less than a month before the arrival of two new ferries, it is emerging that little has been done to ensure that the vessels start operating as soon as they land.

Commuters eager to get their first ride on the ferries, bought at a cost of Sh1.3 billion, may have to wait longer as the Kenya Ferry Services and the government rush to put the infrastructure in place.

Top on the list is the readiness of the boarding ramps for the new vessels, mv Likoni and mv Kwale, which are wider than the old vessels.

Expansion of the ramps on both sides of the Likoni Channel has not started as people and businesses have yet to be moved.

Kenya Ferries Services acting managing director Isaac Kamau said the process of removing them was in progress.

In an interview with Saturday Nation, Mr Kamau said the government had released funds for the design and expansion of the landing ramp and the Peleleza jetty.

The Kenya National Highway Authority is expected to survey the land for the ramp and road expansion. The ferry services was also seeking a contractor for the job.

Mr Kamau admitted that the land issue was a major hindrance but that the provincial administration’s assistance had been sought to fast-track the process.

The arrival of the vessels from German suppliers, Schiffs und Yachtwerft Dresden, is eagerly awaited by residents who, for years, have had to contend with delays.

Safety concerns have also been uppermost in their minds because the old ferries often stall midstream.

The date of arrival has not been announced, with sources at the Kenya Ports Authority, Kenya Maritime Authority, and ferry services firm saying it was being kept secret for security reasons.

The new ferries were undergoing sea trials in Hamburg, Germany, which were expected to end on Saturday.

Earlier this month, a Transport Ministry statement said the tests were a crucial requirement before the ferries are entered in the Lloyd’s Register, which certifies ships.

After the tests, the ferries will be taken to Dresden and loaded onto a ship for their final journey home, said Mr Kamau.

He said the journey to Mombasa could take up to two weeks.

A team of 17 has been sent to Germany to be trained on how to run the ferries.

Mr Kamau said the arrival of the two ferries did not mean that the other five — mv Nyayo, mv Harambee, mv Kilindini, mv Pwani, and mv Mvita — would be withdrawn from service. He said even with seven ferries, congestion at the crossings would not be eradicated.

“We will not retire the old ferries but will dry dock them, one at a time, for repairs and refurbishment,” he said, adding that they would also be fitted with engines similar to those on the new ferries.

There have been unconfirmed reports that mv Harambee, mv Nyayo, and mv Kilindini were withdrawn from the Lloyd’s Register in 2007 because they are no longer fit for use and were a threat to the lives of users.

But Mr Kamau dismissed the allegations.

“With proper maintenance and frequent servicing, these ferries can serve for another 100 years,” he said.

Mv Mvita and mv Pwani, which are 35 and 41 years old respectively, are also said to be unseaworthy and do not appear on any classification of the society’s register.

Mr Kamau said the ferries were still officially in operation and had valid insurance cover.

“All the ferries are insured by Jubilee under the Hull and Machinery All Risks and General and Passenger Liability Insurance,” he said waving the insurance certificates.

The insurance cover is from November 1, 2009 to October 31, 2010.