Refurbished MV Bukakata ready for redeployment

Jul 07, 2020

MV Bukakata will replace the existing MV Kiyindi which has outlived its lifespan and has become too small to handle the growing traffic.

INFRASTRUCTURE

The refurbishment and modifications on MV Bukakata have been finalised. The vessel now awaits being redeployed to yet another area with a great demand gap.

The spokesperson, Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), Mark Ssali, said the vessel was offered to people of Buvuma islands.

He said the vessel will replace the existing MV Kiyindi which has outlived its lifespan and has become too small to handle the growing traffic.

Mv Bukakata formerly plying Bukakata landing site in Masaka and Luuku in Kalangala before being replaced by the MV Pearl and Mv Ssese. (Photo by Samuel Balagadde)

MV Bukakata was refurbished by Southern Engineering Company of Mombasa, Kenya.

The vessel has been fixed with modern seats with an almost doubled seating capacity from about 100 people to about 200 with about seven vehicles.

MV Bukakata plied Bukakata landing site in Masaka and Kalangala district before it outlived its lifespan and later replaced by two vessels MV Pearl and MV Ssese operated by Kalangala Infrastructure Services (KIS) under a public-private partnership.

MV Ssese, one of the vessels that replaced MV Bukakata on Bukakata landing site. (Photo by Samuel Balagadde)

MV Bukakata had since been docked at Port Bell pier undergoing refurbishment and modification to meet the current International Maritime Organisation (IMO) seaworthiness requirements.

MV Bukakata docked at Port Bell dry dock where it spent years waiting to be refurbished. (Photo by Samuel Balagadde)

UNRA is currently operating about ten ferries across different navigable waters with the recent being MV Sigulu in Namayingo with a seating capacity of 300 passengers.