Kenya Ferry Service has spent a whooping Sh143.5 million to give MV Harambee a 10 year lifespan.
The 26-year-old vessel had been decommissioned a year ago due to its unseaworthy nature but underwent major overhaul.
MV Harambee broke down several times resulting to massive jams. There were as a result of the mechanical hitches.
Traffic increased when the vessel was decommissioned, leaving behind just four ferries that struggled to handle a daily surge of over 300,000 commuters and 5,000 vehicles.
KFS managing director Bakari Gowa on Monday said with its return, pressure will ease more so as the festive season approaches.
Gowa said for the last three days there has been over two-hour delays and long queues.
“We would like to apologies to our customers. With the introduction of this ferry, we hope to better the services,” he said on Monday at the crossing channel.
The vessel can fit 55 saloon cars and about 1,200 commuters.
The MD said Sh105 million was spent at the dry dock, Sh17.5 million and Sh21 million on engines and generators overhaul respectively.
The refurbishment exercise begun three months ago according to Gowa.
He said other ferries, MV Nyayo, MV Kilindini, MV Lkikoni and MV Kwale, will undergo a similar overhaul.
“Currently MV Nyayo has been taken to a similar exercise at African Marine. It will be at the dry dock for at most one month,” he said.
Gowa said Sh60 million will be spent on MV Nyayo for the overhaul of engines, generators, deck and paintings. He said they have ordered steering system at Sh41 million.
“The system will take five months to manufacture,” he said.
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He said Transport CS James Macharia will officially launch MV Harambee before the year ends.
Gowa said by the end of this financial year, they expect all ferries to have been repaired.
Senior officers will be deployed to monitor the performances of the machinery.
The MD said the process of reviving Mtongwe channel will delay due to the ongoing process of refurbishing ferries.
“We want to finish up with MV Nyayo then we concentrate on the Mtongwe channel,” he said.
Ferry services at Mtongwe were brought to a halt in 2012 after the national government decommissioned two old ferries for being unseaworthy. Dilapidated infrastructure was also one of the reasons that made the government withdraw services from Mtongwe.
In 1994, in one of Kenya’s worst maritime accidents, more than 270 people died in a ferry disaster at Mtongwe.
MV Mtongwe ferry bound for the mainland capsized just 40 meters from port, killing 272 of the 400 people on board.
The crossing channel has often been hit by long ques and jams. Some tourists have been caught up in the mess and missed their flights. Tourism players have also complained that the delays at the crossing channel affected business.
The government announced plans to set up a bridge on the 500 meter long channel.