Government has found a new inter-island freight vessel to replace the old, malfunctioning Warrior Spirit. It is larger and has additional features, including a prison cell. Transport Minister Stephen Cadiz announced at yesterday’s post-Cabinet media conference his ministry got the green light to acquire the new vessel. The Superfast Galicia will be coming out of Gibraltar and will be in T&T over the Easter weekend and definitely be on time for Tobago’s Jazz Festival, Cadiz said.
It is 11 years old, 160 metres long, longer than the Warrior Spirit, and will be leased for 12 months at $48 million. This is actually $10 million less than for what the Warrior Spirit is being leased, the minister said. He described the new boat as “fairly new” and said it would be doing 22 knots, twice the speed of the Warrior Spirit. Cadiz said Tobagonians have been complaining of a shortage of cement because Trinidad Cement Ltd (TCL) had major problems moving its products over to the island.
That problem had been solved since the Superfast Galicia would be able to take all the freight leaving Trinidad for Tobago, including TCL’s cement, he added. The vessel, besides being larger, has new features. There was a medical facility restroom facilities and even a prison cell, Cadiz said. The Ministry of National Security could now transport prisoners to and from Tobago with ease, he said. Since the Warrior Spirit’s engine broke down on December 8, the owners have been unable to repair it.