The Access Division is asking companies to reach out if they have the capacity to supply sea transport services for Montserrat during high season and beyond.
The request comes less than two months after the contract with the operators of the V2V Empress ended, leaving residents and visitors with limited travel options.
In a proposal document published on the government’s tender website, the department said its aim is to gauge interest among maritime passenger and cargo transport providers.
Those who get in touch before 28 June will be invited to fill in an email questionnaire and take part in a one-to-one online meeting to further discuss project details.
The ‘notice of early market engagement’ explains that the government is looking to establish a consistent commercial ferry service schedule from November to March 2025.
“Additionally, the Government of Montserrat aims for this service to become a permanent fixture in Montserrat’s maritime commercial sector,” the document says.
“This effort is part of a broader plan to develop Montserrat as a viable destination for tourism and commercial activities…”
The government also plans to enhance access and connectivity to and from Montserrat via neighbouring islands, head of procurement Alfredo Landaeta wrote.
This may include weekly services to Antigua and Barbuda, St Kitts and Nevis and excursions to St Maarten and Guadeloupe, among others.
No commitment
In the document, Landaeta stresses that participation in the market engagement does not constitute any obligation or commitment on the part of the government to enter into any contractual agreement.
“Participants should also be aware that any resulting procurement will be conducted through a competitive process in accordance with applicable laws and regulations,” he says.
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.
Just the month prior, however, Premier Joseph E Farrell had assured the public that the government would be retaining ferry services for another year.
During a live broadcast interview with the Government Information Unit, he said the government would be signing a $17 million contract with the ferry operator.
Farrell told listeners that the catamaran service, which was previously contracted for five months from November 2023, would roll over into April with no gaps in the schedule.
