My Barbados Blog

The West Indies islands certainly needs, and would benefit greatly from an inter-island ferry service to ship cargo, transport islanders and vacationers.  

Travelers to the Caribbean constantly inquire about inter-island ferry service, and many who have visited the Bahamas and US Virgin Islands assume this service is available throughout the Caribbean. 

(See Fast ferry service in the Bahamas, along with the US Virgin Islands) Also read a current posting on St Kitts & Nevis first domestic cruise line that will also provide ferry service.

Back in September 2005 it was reported by Caribbean Net News that a ferry service from Barbados would like the island to the neighboring islands of Guadeloupe, St Lucia, Dominica and Martinique, however this service never materialized.

Here's a recent article in the Jamaica Gleaner on the same subject

St. Lucia's Tourism Minister Allen Chastanet has called for the introduction of a viable fast ferry service to meet the transportation needs of the region, saying it could move higher volumes of travellers at cheaper cost.

Chastanet also told Caribbean Media Corporation that, more important, a ferry service would be able to carry the volume of cargo that the airlines are incapable of accommodating.

"This is definitely a venture we have to begin to look at as a region, especially in light of a significant increase in the cost of air fares brought on by the LIAT/Caribbean Star merger," Chastanet said. The merged entity begins operation February 1.

Barbados has been examining a proposal for the introduction of such a facility in time for Cricket World Cup.

Chastanet said potential investors have been coming up with various proposals for the start-up of a regional service.

"It is my honest belief that a fast ferry service is a must, if only for the furtherance of economic stimulation and trade in support of the CSME (CARICOM Single Market and Economy). To get cargo moved between St. Lucia and Trinidad, for instance, has been a problem for everyone," he said.

Chastanet, a hotel owner and former airline executive, sees the future of the region's transportation sector more in sea travel than air, saying that flying was proving too expensive for Caribbean people.

The position complements that of his boss Prime Minister Sir John Compton who, during the recent election that swept him to power, had signalled he would introduce a fast ferry service linking St. Lucia with the neighbouring islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada to promote trade.

Source: Jamaican Gleaner News