Lake Victoria News

A ferry serving Lake Victoria in East Africa has been fitted with new Schottel propulsion systems.With an area of nearly 69,000 square meters, Lake Victoria is the largest lake in Africa—and a vital resource for around 30 million people who live on its shores. It is not only a source of water and fish but also provides them with transport routes. Every day, almost 40 ferries travel across the lake between Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya. One of these ferries is the 1985-built Sengerema…

Spanish engineering and technology group SENER has contracted the basic design of a 1,200-passenger ferry for Tanzanian shipping line Kampuni ya Huduma za Meli (Marine Services Co., Ltd.) to the Korean company GAS Entec."With this new engineering contract, SENER has the experience from having built over 1,200 ships and offshore artifacts worldwide under its own designs. With more than 60 years working in the Marine sector, nowadays SENER provides professional services to shipyards, technical offices, shipping lines, ship owners and official organizations all over the world," claimed a press release from the company.The scope of the project to be developed by SENER includes conceptual and classification engineering…

International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Kitack Lim has expressed his great sadness over the recent casualty of the Nyerere, a domestic ferry flying the flag of the United Republic of Tanzania and sailing on Lake Victoria.“On behalf of the IMO membership, the Secretariat and myself, I would like to send our deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones of the crew members and passengers who perished in the accident, as well as those who remain missing. I would also like to commend all those involved in the rescue operations,”Lim said.“While it is too early to fully evaluate the extent of the incident, I look forward to knowing about the investigation process and reporting thereon…

Tanzanian authorities said on Sunday the number of people who died in a ferry that capsized in Lake Victoria had risen to 224 and the vessel's managers had been detained for questioning.The ferry, MV Nyerere, sank on Thursday evening just a few meters from the dock on Ukerewe, the lake's biggest island.Works, Transport and Communication Minister Isack Kamwelwe told state broadcaster TBC the death toll had risen to 224 as of Sunday afternoon.The definitive cause of the capsizing…

At least 136 bodies have been retrieved after a ferry sank on Lake Victoria, Tanzania's top police official Simon Sirro said on Friday, and scores more were still feared missing as rescuers searched for survivors on the morning after the disaster.The ferry MV Nyerere capsized on Thursday afternoon just a few meters from the dock on Ukerewe, the lake's biggest island, which is part of Tanzania.Initial estimates suggested that the ferry was carrying more than 300 people.Thirty-seven people had been rescued from the sea…

At least 42 people drowned when a ferry sank on Thursday in Tanzania's Lake Victoria and government officials feared the final death toll could be more than 200, a senior local official said.Ukerewe District Commissioner Colonel Lucas Magembe told Reuters that the rescue mission to find survivors from the disaster had been halted until dawn on Friday with 42 people confirmed dead.Initial estimates showed that the MV Nyerere was carrying more than 300 people on board.

A passenger ferry in Tanzania's Lake Victoria has sunk and rescue operations are underway, Tanzanian authorities said on Thursday.Tanzania's Electrical, Mechanical and Services Agency (TEMESA), which operates ferry services, said the boat, known as MV Nyerere, sank on Thursday afternoon in Ukurewe district Mwanza region.TEMESA Spokeswoman Theresia Mwami said so far they had not established the exact number of passengers who were on board and whether anyone had died.

The latest Italdraghe acquatic weed harvester is now on its way to Kenya. Destined to be used to remove the mats of hyacinth and hippo grass that have been steadily taking over the waters of Lake Victoria, the harvester will be based in the city of Kisumu.  The harvester, doubly certified by both the Italian Naval Registry (RINA) and Bureau Veritas (BV),  was recently inspected in the Italdraghe shipyard by a team of Kenyan government officials who gave the go ahead for its immediate shipment.    Once on site in Kisumu, the harvester will be assembled and commissioned by Italdraghe technicians who will also provide a thorough training course for the local operators who will be responsible for the long-term use and maintenance of the vessel.

Stormy weather has forced a ship to take refuge in Falmouth, England, on the first leg of its charity voyage from Scotland to Africa, where it will become a medical ship serving isolated communities. A&P Falmouth shipyard say they are assisting the Jubilee Hope, which set sail from Glasgow and was just four days into her 8,585 mile trip when she arrived in Falmouth. Operated by charity the Vine Trust, the Jubilee Hope is en route to Mombasa, where she will then be transported overland to Lake Victoria.

As part of a three day Royal tour of Gibraltar in June, HRH The Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex set time aside to inspect work under way at Gibdock, the territory’s strategically located repair and conversion yard. Accompanied by Gibraltar Governor, Sir Adrian Johns and Gibraltar Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, the Earl was welcomed by the Minister for the Port, Neil Costa, Gibdock Chief Executive, Joe Corvelli, Commercial Director, Richard Beards, Finance Director, Paul Singleton, and Production Director, John Taylor.