SVG to be served by regional ferry service

St Vincent and the Grenadines is included in the list of destinations to which a new ferry service will move passengers during the first phase of it’s operations.

This was announced at a regional news conference held in Barbados on Tuesday January, 23, 2024.

The disclosure was made by CEO of Windward Ferries, Tore Torsteinson, who will be in charge of the Ferry Division of the new company, Connect Caribe.

The new company is made up of regional stakeholders in the travel and maritime industries.

Tore promised that they would provide a reliable service to the Eastern Caribbean, including St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Three ships are expected to begin operating by the end of this year.

Tore explained that a passenger/cargo roll on and roll off ferry will travel through the islands of St Lucia, Barbados, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad, and Grenada weekly, transporting passengers and cargo to and from these destinations.

This ferry will be able to transport up to 800 passengers per trip.

There will also be a high speed catamaran and a cargo vessel added to the fleet.

Tore explained that the catamaran will work the Trinidad, Grenada, St Vincent, St Lucia, Barbados route and also Dominica and Antigua.

The cargo boat will run the Trinidad, Guyana, Suriname, Barbados, St Lucia route weekly.

He said “these three ships will serve the region well” and will be a fast and efficient way to get around.

The average cost of a trip will be about US$100 when the services become available.

“There is no doubt that this long awaited ferry service will bring increased economic activity to the region and the people of the region,” Tore concluded.

Upturn Funds Caribbean and the Pleion Group Inc have partnered with other private firms with the hope of making this regional ferry service a reality.

The group’s chairman, Ambassador Andre Thomas said at the news conference that they have embarked “on a very important journey to bring the aspirations of maritime transportation from concept to reality”.

Ambassador Thomas noted that the journey began 18 months ago when they began research on maritime transportation in the region.
This new ferry service will be an alternative to air transformation, and is coming at a critical time with the end of service of the regional carrier LIAT (1974) Ltd, and the expected introduction of LIAT (2020) Ltd.