Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE Marine Services Company Limited (MSCL) will from next week halt operations of the two ships in Lake Victoria in order to conduct a performance assessment and minor rehabilitations, it has been revealed.
The ships, namely ‘New MV Victoria christened ‘Hapa Kazi Tu’ and New Butiama short pause is a legal procedures as per Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation (TASAC) and International Maritime Organization (IMO) requirements, to ensure the passengers’ safety, said the Company’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Eng Abel Gwanafyo on Tuesday.
According to him, MV Victoria, which ply the route between Mwanza and Bukoba will temporarily stop business from Monday to October 8th this year and MV Butiama, which cruises from Mwanza to Nansio route, will be suspended from October 11th to 18th this year.
“The suspension is a must since the ships have been operating for a year now since they resumed their routes in August last year after undergoing major rehabilitations under Korea Total Marine Innovation Co.Ltd (KTMI). It is the same contractor who will perform these minor rehabilitations,” said Eng Gwanafyo.
He further clarified that the ships’ pause is also due to certificates of quality’s expiration, where the Company should immediately have new ones as per the Shipping Act of 2003 Section 245 (2) requirement, which prohibits a maritime vessel from operating without such a document.
On his part, MSCL Marketing Manager, Mr Anselm Namala said that the ships improvement will also consider the passengers’ recommendations to let them continue enjoy marine transport.
“They have been recommending a lot….including improvements in ‘rhumba’ type of the entertainment, especially in New MV Victoria Hapa Kazi Tu. We will have the varieties just to make everyone happy when traveling with us,” said Namala.
