Kalangala district on Monday has received a new water vessel, MV NODL, which will ply the Nakiwogo and Lutoboka routes interchangeably with MV Kalangala.

The vessel has so far held two return test voyages between Lutoboka in Kalangala and Nakiwogo in Entebbe.

Other test voyages have been held across some islands of Jaana, Kitobo, Kacanga all in Kalangala district.

MV NODL will be operated by Nation Oil Distributors Limited (NODL) who also operates MV Kalangala.

The vessel has four classes identified as tourist class, silver, gold and platinum with a capacity of 120 passengers per voyage. 

Sadala Musoke, the NODL executive director, said that the vessel will simplify the transportation of passengers to and from after MV Kalangala's departure time on either side currently.

"We have been experiencing traveller’s influx during festive seasons, weekends where tourists use MV Kalangala. The second vessel will address this challenge," said Sadala.

He further said that MV NODL had to start operations by the time MV Kalangala was grounded to undergo service works however, due to some challenges, the vessel was delayed. 

Sadala Musoke the NODL executive director showing one of the seating classes on MV NODL. Photo by Samuel Nkuba

Its operational territories have not been demarcated as yet as NODL management still holds talks with the Ministry of Works and Transport to decide whether the vessel will connect to other islands apart from Buggala.

Still in the discussion are the charges per voyage per class where estimates indicate that for the tourist class, it will range between sh40,000-70,000=, sh30,000-50,000 for silver, sh40,000-60,000 for gold and sh70,000-100,000 for platinum.

The co-existing private vessels of MV Nathalie and MV Vanessa charge sh35,000 per voyage from Kalangala to Nakiwogo in Entebbe. MV Kalangala charges sh10,000 for the second class and sh14,000 for the first class.

Sam Jjundo, who travelled with MV NODL on its test journey, said that there is a need to connect other islands which use wooden boats to carry passengers and their cargo.

"Alternatively, we appeal to the management of these two vessels to open up some routes and islands to the mainland and to the main island of Buggala, a centre of administration for the 84 islands," said Jjundo. 

In 2005, MV Kalangala started as the second main transport to the island district apart from Bugoma ferry by then.

To date, Kalangala has three major vessels that connect to Buggala islands which are; MV Ssese, MV Pearl and MV Kalangala. Two other private vessels are MV Vanessa and MV Natalie.

MV NODL unlike MV Kalangala doesn't carry cars and other heavy cargo, making it only for passengers.