Caption: The T&T Spirt dry-docked on the HLV White Marlin on Monday off the coast of Chaguaramas near to Gasparee Island. AZP News/Prior Beharry
By Prior Beharry
OROPOCUHE West MP Dave Tancoo is alleging that the on-duty crew members of the inter-island vessel, the T&T Spirit, have been virtually abandoned at sea.
He said this was so because of the government’s inability to pay for the repairs.
Tancoo said that according to sources at the Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (PATT), the technical crew of the T&T Spirit “have been marooned at sea, on board their vessel which is currently hitched to a foreign, privately owned repair vessel – the White Marlin, in spite of the maintenance works being completed several days ago, which the government is yet to pay for.”
He claimed the crew are reportedly now short on food, with no idea as to when the vessel will be released, causing concern for their families at home in T&T.
However, this was denied by the Trinidad and Tobago Inter-island Transportation Company Limited (TTIT).
A release from TTIT on Thursday stated that the T&T Spirit was currently atop the Heavy Lift Vessel – MV White Marlin at anchorage at CARIDOC awaiting to be un-berthed.
It stated, “To un-berth the T&T Spirit, the HLV White Marlin had to be removed to anchorage where it will be submerged to about 16m to float off the T&T Spirit. This procedure which commenced at 1300hrs today (Thursday 4th April) will take about 16hrs to complete.“In the circumstances all technical operations (tugs, pilots, etc.) will commence during daylight- at 6 am on Friday 05 April, 2024, following which the T&T Spirit will be towed back to the GSS Jetty, in Port of Spain.”
The TTIT also stated that the drydocking works to the APT James and the Buccoo Reef have been completed.
It stated that the T&T Spirit has completed its major out-of-water works and will continue its remaining repairs while the vessel is in the water, alongside the GSS Jetty.
The release stated that the Heavy Lift Vessel was secured to be used as a floating dock for works on the A P T James, the Buccoo Reef and the T&T Spirit. Altogether the repair works were scheduled to be completed within 53 days.
It stated, “In response to information circulating in the media, the crew on the T&T Spirit has not been abandoned at sea with no means of relief.The release added, “In fact, the crew on the vessel is aware of the operations involving the un-berthing of the vessel and have been provided with all necessary supplies for the care and well-being of our personnel on board. All payments for the operations on the MV White Marlin have been made to the ship’s agent.”
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