By Fatoumatta Fatty
Gambia Ports Authority head of harbor department has announced that the port will increase its accommodation of commercial vessels by 40% when the ongoing dredging process is completed at the sea harbor zone.
This resolution of the dredging is to improve available marine progression for easy flowing of vessels and ships in and out.
The port will dredge about one hundred thousand cubic meters. The removal of sedimentation materials and sand from the sea will last for three weeks and it will boost the flooding of vessels and ships.
The dredging operation ongoing at the Gambia Port has been awarded to a local company called Sino Majulace Jalbak Investment company. This is the first time in history for GPA to award a contract to a local enterprise in The Gambia.
Also speaking, Mr. Kulay Manneh, harbormaster, said materials and sand must be periodically removed for efficiency purposes, “the problem exists as long as the harbor exists”.
Adding that, after some time, accumulation of sand and materials reduces the availability of water in the harbor, which causes slow flowing of ships and vessels.
“This is the reason why Gambia Ports Authority dredges the sea every two years and it is done to maintain adequate movement of vessels and ships”.
He said the port is dredging five bags; three bags will be used for commercial vessels, one bag for ferries and ferry terminal, and dredging the three bags will increase the capacity of commercial vessels.
“Currently, the port is only accommodating two vessels per delivery, providentially after the dredging it will enable the port to increase its accommodation capacity.” This, he said, is all geared towards build confidence in rendering effective service delivery to customers.
The contractor and founder of the Sino Majulace Jalbak Investment Company, Omar Jagne, stated that dredging is necessary for the marine flooding process. Adding that, it is a wonderful service initiative that Gambia Port has taken to reduce the number of sediments that affect the harbor zone.
He added that they have all the expertise and equipment needed for the operation at their disposal, the removal of unwanted materials that hindered the flooding of ships and vessels is a work for them to do.
Omar noted that as awardee, the contractor was a task to provide effective service to the awarder.
z“GPA awarded us with the contractor to make a good and wonderful job. It is our intension to work best of our ability to see that the dredging is done successfully because this country belongs to all of us”.
Alhaji M Samateh, managing director Sino Majulace Jalbak Investment Company, said the duration of the dredging process will last for two or three weeks, in which he said if completed, will enable the port to render service effectively and efficiently.
