Works ministry acquires state-of-the-art rescue boats, maritime training centre

In a bid to promote safety on Ugandan waterways, the Ministry of Works and Transport has acquired a state-of-the-art, fully equipped and furnished maritime training facility.

The facility has been furnished with a modern swinging pool for enhancing the training of divers and frequent lake users in swinging tactics.

A state-of-the-art simulator for training fresh marine vessel controllers and enhancing competence for those already in service has also been put in place.

Henry Ategeka, the principal inspector of Vessle in the marine department of the works ministry, said the maritime training facility located at Entebbe Fisheries Institute is geared towards equipping a variety of maritime-related skills to applicants.

Maritime Training centre in Entebbe.

"We are going to liaise with the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT)  of the Ministry of Education and Sports to assess and examine enrolled trainees," he said.
Upon completion of the course, trainees will be issued with Maritime Basic Safety Certificates.

He said the facility is part of a broader Multinational Lake Victoria Maritime Communications and Transport Project, which is intended to enhance Search and Rescue (SAR) capabilities and establish a robust maritime communication system funded by the African Development Bank.

In Uganda, already five SAR have been constructed at Kaazi and Masese on Lake Victoria, Zengebe on Lake Kyoga, Kaiso and Panyamur on Lake Albert, with a national coronation centre for all in Entebbe, while the regional coordination centre is in Mwanza, Tanzania.

"Search and Rescue centres play a crucial role in maritime communication by coordinating rescue operations for people, ships, and craft in distress,” Ategeka stated.

The simulator for training maritime trainees.

The project involved putting in place state-of-the-art search and rescue boats, a fully fledged ICU ambulance boat to handle those health-related complications on the water and a firefighting boat.

Ategeka, who is also the regional coordinator for the project, said originally it was covering three countries, including Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya, but Kenya withdrew during the course and opted to incorporate into their national maritime programmes.

In Uganda, the project was originally only covering Lake Victoria, but the government extended it to Lake Kyoga and Lake Albert.

Passengers in distress on three water bodies covered by the project can now call 110 -Toll-free line to be rescued.