TT Spirit sails in place of TT Express

According to Vilma Lewis-Cockburn, public relations officer at the TT Port Authority (TTPA), she said the boat was experiencing some mechanical problems and they were awaiting a part.

“I cannot give an exact date as to when it would resume operations...

I cannot say which part they were awaiting, if it’s one part or more than one, and I do not know what would be the cost,” she told Newsday, yesterday.

Lewis-Cockburn, however, said the travelling public would not be affected as the TTPA has rationed the sailings of the Spirit. “The good thing is that it is not a peak period so the sailings are not very heavy so we should be able to accommodate everybody. There is a time change because there is one vessel doing the run,” she said.

In the meantime, the TT Spirit would be filling the slack to transport passengers between TT.

Lewis-Cockburn said the TT Express, which was purchased by the TT Government in 2006 and commissioned into service on December 2007, was drydocked every year for maintenance. The TT Inter-Island Transportation Company Limited (TTIT) has advised that the TT Spirit would service the sea bridge during this time, and a revised sailing schedule was in effect. The decision was made as to conduct repairs that were deemed necessary to ensure the safety of its passengers, vehicles and crew. The TTIT has stated that the TT Express non-sailing passengers were not required to revalidate their ferry tickets to travel at the new time.

The revised sailing schedule is as follows:
Mondays: From Trinidad 8.30 am, 5.00pm to Tobago 12.30pm
Tuesdays: From Trinidad 5.00pm to Tobago 6.30am
Wednesdays: From Trinidad 12.00pm to Tobago 6.30am
Thursdays: From Trinidad 5.00pm to Tobago 6.30am
Fridays: From Trinidad 10.00 am, 5.00pm to Tobago 6.30am
Saturdays: From Trinidad 4.00pm to Tobago 8.30am
Sundays: From Trinidad 1.30 pm to Tobago 9.