Crew members finally leave quarantined MV Kalangala

HEALTH COVID-19

ENTEBBE - MV Kalangala ship crew members have finalised the mandatory two-week COVID-19 quarantine.

This follows the return of the ship from Mwanza Port in Tanzania, where it was taken for the mandatory annual survey. 

The survey encompasses thorough inspection of the vessel and repairs of the defects for conformity to International Maritime Organisation (IMO) seaworthiness requirements. 

The mandatory annual survey for MV Kalangala was successfully completed pending commencement of its operation.

On return, the entire crew aboard the ship comprising of the chief engineer, the Second Engineer, the Captain, the chief officer and the quartermaster were quarantined in the vessel at Nakiwogo landing site in Entebbe as they underwent COVID-19 testing and monitoring. 

One of the crew members told New Vision on Monday that they all tested negative but had to be quarantined for two weeks as a normal procedure set by government in controlling the spread of COVID-19.

Henry Ategeka, a senior principal inspector of vessels in the Maritime administration department of the ministry of works and transport said the entire crew was released over the weekend after successfully completing a two-week COVID-19 quarantine.  

He said this vessel was meant to be worked on at Port Bell pier in Luzira but the dry dock was already loaded with MV Kaawa which is also undergoing the mandatory survey.

Commencement of the subsidiaries operation for the ship awaits due to Lake Victoria rising water levels. 

However, efforts were partly done through placement of hardcore stones that enabled the ship to dock for the crew to disembark.

MV Kalangala is a government-owned vessel managed by the ministry of works and transport but currently, it is operated by the National Oil Distributors who use it on a commercial basis with passengers and their respective bulk cargo and vehicles being charged.

This vessel was assembled in 2005 as a fulfilment of the president's pledge to people of Kalangala for improved water transport.

It plies Nakiwogo landing site in Entebbe where it departs at 2:00pm reaching Lutoboka landing site in Kalangala at around 5:00pm where it spends the night and departs at 8:00 am and again arrives Nakiwogo at 11:00am where it is cleaned before departing again at 2:00pm.

It has a loading capacity of over 100 passengers with an average of eight vehicles.