St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) listed in proposed Caribbean ferry network
St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) is one of several Caribbean countries that could be part of a regional ferry network if slower vessels are used, according to a study for the UN Economic Commission for Latin America. The proposed Public-Private Partnership model would have to include the upgrading of wharves (ECLA).
Diogo Aita, Associate Economic Affairs Officer of ECLAC’s Infrastructure Services Unit of the International Trade and Integration Division, said SVG is included in the proposed route 4.
Route 1: Colombia, Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Trinidad and Tobago; route 3: Puerto Rico, Antigua y Barbuda, Guadalupe and Saint Lucia; route 4: Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago.
The most practical route is Route 2, which covers Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and Suriname.
The report recommends using Route 4 to increase regional connections. Profitability would require at least 60% passenger capacity for the entire route and 2.71 USD per nautical mile for high-speed vessels.
Barbados, which is strengthening food production and supply ties, is not on any of the four routes.
The four proposed routes use Trinidad and Tobago and St. Lucia as hubs.
The routes were determined based on each route’s profitability per vessel as economic consequences of the ferry service, without adding public benefits or positive externalities for the afflicted people. Mr. Aito argues public subsidies are warranted given the social and environmental benefits.
The study says speedier ships have greater operating expenses due to the more fuel needed for a higher average speed. ECLAC expert says high-speed vessels may carry trucks for intermodality, and passengers will select them over slower options. “ Passengers prefer shorter voyages and less than one day of navigation, so a high-speed ferry is a preferable option. He also says to investigate ships with better performance and greener options.
Faster ferries are more expensive than flights. Profitable high-speed vessels demand $2.71 per passenger mile. This is 81% more expensive than the average fare for air travel and could impede the service’s development, according to “Proposal for the establishment of a ferry service through Public Private Partnerships (PPP’s) in the Eastern Caribbean Region.”
The ECLAC study notes that port capacity is another critical success factor that must be addressed to guarantee ships spend as little time in ports as possible for enhanced operation efficiency.
