Transport Minister Stephen Cadiz, while delivering the feature address on Thursday during World Maritime Day celebrations at the Maritime Training Centre of the University of Trinidad and Tobago in Chaguaramas, said the two fast ferries that operate between the two islands are to be replaced with more cost-efficient ferries that could be operating using liquefied natural gas (LNG), reports Trinidad Express.
At present the Port of Trinidad and Tobago operates two fast ferries – the T&T Express and the T&T Spirit (commissioned Dec 2006 and July 2007 respectively) – on the inter-island route. The crossing takes approximately 2 ½ hours.
The Minister is evaluating a pilot project in another country that recently commenced operations with a new LNG-fuelled ferry in place of a diesel-fuelled service. T&T’s two fast ferries currently consume approximately USD 16 million of diesel per annum.
Cadiz is reportedly also pushing to have the Public Transport Service Corporation convert buses from diesel to compressed natural gas (CNG).
