By Yunus S Saliu
In its effort to meet with the thirty days notice given, starting from 21st October, in disruption of ferry movement between the Banjul and Barra Terminals, the management of Gambia Ports Authority (GPA) continued working hard to complete work at both terminals on or before the lapse of the issued notice (20th November, 2020).
As the work progress and getting towards the end, the technical experts and commissioned engineers from DAMEN Shipyard Holland and the Gambian experts of the Gambia Ports Authority technical department Saturday, 7th November installed the new landing for Banjul ferry terminal while the one for the Barra was lowered Tuesday, 10th November.
Speaking to Momodou L Sanyang, Public Relation Officer of the Gambia Port Authority in his office in Banjul on Wednesday, he disclosed that experts working on the ferry landings are now on the adjustment point of the ferry landing “for better positioning of the landers.”
He explained that the replacement of the landings is handling by DAMEN Shipyard Holland, a recognized competent company that brought the Kunta Kinteh ferry to the country.
According to him, the ferry landings also known as ramp currently replacing with new ones is overdue, as “the old ones were there since 1977 and rehabilitated in 2001.”
PRO Sanyang disclosed that both Banjul and Barra newly installed ramps are modern ones and the operation “is both manual and electricity.” He added that Barra and Banjul are ferry terminals that are the most highly used among the crossing points in the country.
With hard works and commitment of the experts coupled with progress making on the work so far he said they are hoping to do trial tests of the operation of the ramps probably “Friday (today) or Saturday (tomorrow).”
Commenting on the durability of the ramps, he said the thickness of the metals of the new landers is up to standard and “experts from DAMEN Shipyards will continue to work hand in hand with the Gambia Ports Authority experts as the need arises.”