The government has opened up the bidding process for qualified operators to provide passenger ferry services to and from Montserrat.
There are two time periods up for grabs – the first is three months from February to April 2025, and the second is two years with a start date of 1 May or 1 October 2025.
Bidders are asked to provide a detailed proposal for operating either or both of the services in their tender submission.
All ferries must have good sea keeping capabilities and be of a modern design to fit into the existing dock at Little Bay Port, the invitation to tender says.
In June, the Access Division issued a ‘notice of early market engagement’, asking companies to reach out if they had the capacity to supply sea transport services.
It came less than two months after the government’s contract with the operators of the V2V Empress ended, leaving residents and visitors with limited travel options.
Now new ferry companies are being sought to provide transport to connect Montserrat Antigua and other neighbouring Caribbean islands.
The winning bidder of the three month contract will provide fully crewed passenger and cargo services between Montserrat and Antigua five to six days per week, with a route extension to St Kitts and/or Nevis.
The government will supply ticketing, vessel facilitation and supporting services such as fuel, and will retain all revenue collected.
The company that wins the two year contract will provide passenger and cargo transport operations from Montserrat to one or more neighbouring islands.
Their proposal will need to include details of the suggested routes and number of days of service, as well as the potential for additional excursions on other frequencies.
They will be responsible for handling all aspects of the operations – from fuel supply and bookings to marketing and promotion, and will retain the collected revenue.
The document explains that the government will carefully evaluate proposals based on their overall impact, including contributions to the local economy, job creation, and enhanced connectivity.
Proposals that provide clear benefits to Montserrat, both socially and economically, will be given strong consideration for additional support, including the possibility of extending the length of the service.
“This support would be aimed at ensuring the sustainability of the service and preventing potential market failure,” the invitation to tender says.
Bidders have until 6 November to apply.
In March, as peak season drew to a close, Premier Joseph E Farrell assured the public that the government would be paying EC$17 million to retain ferry services for another year.
However, on 30 April, the government’s contract with the owners of the V2V Empress came to an end and passenger ferry services stopped running between Montserrat and Antigua.
Since then, the only option for public transport in and out of Montserrat has been via government subsidised Fly Montserrat and SVG Air flights.
