Freeman Razemba
Senior Reporter
The passenger and cargo ferry that was recently certified and started operating on Lake Kariba on Tuesday, has arrived in King’s Camp (Kariba Rural) on its maiden trip, as it restores water transport on the busy Kariba-Chalala route.
MV Silverstone, operated by Most High Ferries, was officially launched in September and is expected to fill the gap left by MV Rida Mbuya Nehanda, which capsized on August 11, killing 97 people.
The victims were coming from King’s Camp and heading towards Kariba urban when the incident occurred.
The MV Silverstone has the capacity to carry 60 passengers and four crew members, and was certified to transport both passengers and cargo.
It runs scheduled routes on Tuesdays and Fridays from 7 am, that directly connect Kariba Urban to Kings Camp.
This Tuesday, the ferry left Kariba urban around 7 am and arrived at its final destination at around 1:30 pm.
In an interview, Most High Ferries director, Mr Hillard Mangove said the ferry arrived safely with several passengers and goods on board.
He added that several people had already gathered at King’s Camp to witness the arrival of the new ferry and that they were happy with the resumption of this service, after a few months following the tragedy.
Earlier on Mr Mangove confirmed that the company has put in place additional safety measures.
The ferry will carry at least 120 life jackets and floaters, almost double its passenger and crew capacity, while two speedboats will accompany the vessel.
The vessel will operate along the Kariba-Chalala route, with stops at the Kings Camp Fishing Camp and Musambakaruma Fishing Camp.
A trip from Kariba to King’s Camp costs US$8, while passengers travelling to Musambakaruma pay US$13. Those travelling to Chalala pay US$15.
A direct trip from Kariba to Chalala cost US$15.
The ferry has also been designed to support the local lake economy by transporting goods such as ice blocks for preserving fish, as well as the salt used in drying and preserving kapenta.
