The Gambia Port Authority (GPA) has announced plans to construct a second landing bridge to enhance the operational safety of ferries, following a crisis triggered by the lack of ferry services at the Banjul-Barra lander. The revelation was made during a meeting with the National Assembly Joint Committee on Monday, where the GPA Managing Director, Ousman Jorbateh, highlighted the challenges faced by the ferries due to the absence of a functional shipyard with a dry docking facility.
Jorbateh explained that the ferries require regular maintenance tasks such as scraping, replacing marine wood, and accessing the bottom hull, which can only be done with a dry docking facility. He emphasized the need for a new landing site, as recent incidents have seen ferries failing to land properly, endangering vehicles and passengers.
Furthermore, Jorbateh proposed the introduction of private management into the ferry services to ensure sustainability and efficiency. He mentioned that private operators would be better equipped to implement IT platforms for revenue generation, ticketing, scheduling, and maintenance, ultimately easing operational functions and reducing liabilities for the GPA.
Despite the financial burden of purchasing fuel, spare parts, and corporation tax, Jorbateh believes that private operators would bring more control and innovation to the operations, making the ferry services more sustainable in the long run. The GPA is hopeful that with government support and restructuring efforts, the introduction of private management could lead to a more efficient and reliable ferry service for travelers and vehicular operators in The Gambia.