MV Pemba

History
Name: MV Pemba
Operator: Uganda Railways Corporation
Port of registry: Uganda
Route: on Lake Victoria between Port Bell, Uganda & Mwanza, Tanzania
Completed: circa 1983–86[1]
Status: suspended from service since 2005
General characteristics
Type: train ferry
Installed power: diesel
Propulsion: screw
Capacity: four tracks with total capacity for 22[1] or 40[2] railway wagons

MV Pemba is a Lake Victoria ferry that was operated by the Uganda Railways Corporation.

2005 incident

At about 0300 hrs on 8 May 2005 Pemba was en route to Mwanza in Tanzania when her sister ships MV Kaawa and MV Kabalega collided with each other. Kaawa received a distress call, put about, and reached the scene of the collision "one and a half hours" later.[3] Kabalega was sinking so Pemba positioned herself alongside, rescued her eight officers and 16 crew and landed them at Luzira in Uganda.[3]

URC's Chairman of Governors Paul Etiang admitted that marine insurance for Kaawa, Kabalega and Pemba had expired in December 2004 and not been renewed.[4] After the collision Kaawa was withdrawn from service for repairs to her bow and Pemba was suspended from service.

Proposed return to service

In September 2005 Uganda's minister of works, John Nasasira, claimed that structural repairs Kaawa's collision damage and to her sister ship Pemba were almost complete but that 3.4 billion Ugandan Shillings was needed "to fully repair and maintain, class and insure the vessels".[5] By October 2009 the two ferries were still out of service but Nasasira claimed the Government would recondition both vessels and would return Pemba to service in 2010 and Kaawa in 2011.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 Maund, Richard (2001). "untitled webpage". Passenger train Services over Unusual Lines. Retrieved 2011-05-25.
  2. ↑ "Sunken MV Kabalega Ship May not be Replaced Soon Says Government". Uganda Radio Network. 2008-05-30. Retrieved 2011-05-24.
  3. 1 2 Vision reporters (2005-05-09). "MV Kabalega Crewman narrates ordeal". New Vision. New Vision Printing & Publishing Company Limited. Retrieved 2011-05-24.
  4. ↑ Kasyate, Simon; Esiara, Kabona (2005-05-10). "Uganda: Gov't Set to Replace Sunken MV Kabalega". Daily Monitor. Monitor Publications Limited. Retrieved 2011-05-25.
  5. ↑ Kandia, Stephen (2005-09-03). "Ferry report out". New Vision. New Vision Printing & Publishing Company Limited. Retrieved 2011-05-25.
  6. ↑ "Uganda: Government to Repair Grounded Ships". The Standard. 2009-10-29. Retrieved 2011-05-17.
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