Berjaya expects to deliver 47m landing craft by Jan 2018
MIRI: The 47-metre landing craft built by a local ship builder, Berjaya Dockyard Sdn Bhd, in Kuala Baram is expected to be delivered to the Government of Tokelau by January next year.
Tokelau is a non self– governing territory of New Zealand located in the Pacific Ocean north of Samoa and south of the Equator.
Berjaya Dockyard Sdn Bhd general manager Teresa Ling said it was an honour for the company to build the much needed cargo vessel for Tokelau.
“This is our first project to build a 47-metre landing craft for Tokelau. We hope to deliver the vessel early next year which we believe will be able to cater for the needs of the Tokelauans and further drive its socio- economy towards greater development,” she stated during the launching ceremony of the 47m landing craft at Berjaya Dockyard Sdn Bhd premises in Kuala Baram yesterday.
Also present were Berjaya Dockyard Sdn Bhd managing director Ling Chu Ek, its sales director Jonathan Ling and Bureau Veritas Miri branch manager David Wong.
Members of the entourage from Transport Tokelau ( Transtok) Corporation of Tokelau were Minister of Transport Afega Gaualofa, director of Transport
T��is is our first project to build a 47-��etre landin�� craft for Tokelau. We ��ope to deliver t��e vessel early next year w��ic�� we believe will be able to cater for t��e needs of t��e Tokelauans and furt��er drive its socio-econo��y towards ��reater develop��ent.
Simona Mei and a representative from New Zealand Technical Management Anthony Claude Ferwando.
Gaualofa told The Borneo Post that some 1,500 people in Tokelau were excited about the arrival of the new landing craft.
As Tokelau is only accessible by boat, Gaualofa said the cargo vessel would be the central pillar of their transport infrastructure to drive its socioeconomic aspirations and push its development agenda.
Besides that, he added that the vessel will allow them to control their own travel or supply needs and consequently, pace of development.
He also said there is no airstrip or harbour in Tokelau and the only access to Tokelau is by ship through the Port of Apia, Samoa.
However, Tokelau’s only vessel is unable to cater for emergency needs of the people and the cost of vessel charter service was relatively high, he pointed out.
“With the second vessel on our fleet, we are able to deliver reliable transportation services to the people, thus helping to solve the issue of inability to deliver much-needed supplies during emergencies.
“It is such a great feeling for us to be able to meet the needs of our people.”
The vessel is designed for transporting heavy machines and project cargoes, with ramp door of 80-tonne safe working load (SWL).
It can carry a total of 20 people for international voyage.
The vessel has been equipped with special features requested by the owner of the new ship.
They are ballast water management system to minimise the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens throughout the different countries sea areas, deck crane for convenience and friendly usage of loading and unloading of cargoes and equipment, additional generators for more power and to power reefer points and keel cool system to allow the vessel operate in shallow water.
Teresa Lin���� Berjaya Dockyard Sdn B��d ��eneral ��ana��er