{"id":74814,"date":"2026-02-03T12:38:30","date_gmt":"2026-02-03T15:38:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shipping.einnews.com\/article\/889001403"},"modified":"2026-02-03T12:38:30","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T15:38:30","slug":"tobago-faces-supply-shortages-amid-cargo-shipping","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/2026\/02\/03\/tobago-faces-supply-shortages-amid-cargo-shipping\/","title":{"rendered":"Tobago faces supply shortages amid cargo shipping"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A supply shortage is emerging in Tobago amid the absence of an operational cargo vessel to supply the sister island.<\/p>\n

The Express visited several supermarkets and hardware stores across Tobago yesterday and observed shortages of key supplies, with cement notably unavailable at a number of outlets. One businessman said he had implemented reduced working hours for staff in an effort to avoid layoffs.<\/p>\n

Chairman of the Tobago arm of the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce Curtis Williams says developments affecting the inter-island sea bridge are cause for serious concern, coupled with a shortage of space on existing vessels to transport cargo between Trinidad and Tobago.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Galleons Passage cannot bring the cargo that is needed on the island, so it leaves the construction sector, it leaves the food and beverage sector, it leaves other sectors in real challenges. Those folks in scrap iron\u2014they can\u2019t even move their scrap iron from point A to point B; those that need cement for construction… they just can\u2019t get it, they are not getting the bulk cement they accustomed getting,\u201d Williams told the Express.<\/p>\n

Almandoz Hardware, Belfon Hardware, Richard Hardware and Singh\u2019s Hardware have all indicated that cement is currently unavailable, with additional shortages reported in sand, steel, lumber and concrete blocks.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, some empty shelves were also observed at the PennySavers supermarket in Carnbee. Williams said two cargo vessels are required to adequately service the inter-island seabridge.<\/p>\n

He noted that this recommendation was made last year during a high-level meeting involving Minister of Works and Infrastructure Jearlean John, THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine and officials of the Port Authority.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the measures we indicated to them is to have two cargo vessels\u2014two smaller cargo vessels\u2014that could reach the demand of the island, and they interchange; because when one vessel has to go on dry dock, wet dock, or when one vessel breaks down for any unforeseen circumstances, we would still have a vessel moving the cargo between the two islands.\u201d<\/p>\n

He warned that prices in Tobago are expected to increase in the near future.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are the ones seeing the mini-marts complaining that liquor licence move from $1,800-$9,000; and then gas\u2014the natural gas\u2014is going up to feed all these manufacturers; so you know prices is going to go up in Tobago.\u201d<\/p>\n

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extreme shortages: There is a lack of lumber, cement, sand, and a shortage of steel at Almandoz Hardware in Scarborough Tobago. <\/p>\n

<\/span> <\/span> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Ongoing work on vessels<\/strong><\/p>\n

In response to these developments, Minister of Works and Infrastructure Jearlean John said welding of the damaged Blue Wave Harmony vessel started on Sunday.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are very big on safety of the boat and ultimately passengers, so we sent people over since Friday to start that welding; but that did not start until Sunday because of the preliminary work that had to take place,\u201d John said.<\/p>\n

She said efforts were being made to have the MV Blue Wave Harmony in operation before the end of the week.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat boat would leave the port of Scarborough for Port of Spain for some further checks and, fingers crossed, it should be on the route by Wednesday, Thursday of this week,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

And on Sunday, mechanical issues were reported aboard the T&T Spirit after the vessel departed the Port of Spain terminal at 9.30 a.m.<\/p>\n

The ship did not arrive in Tobago until after 3 p.m., and further delays were experienced when the vessel\u2019s ramp malfunctioned.<\/p>\n

As a result, passengers and vehicles were unable to disembark until approximately 6 p.m.<\/p>\n

According to the Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago passenger ferry T&T Spirit is currently berthed and undergoing technical assessment at the Port of Spain Ferry Terminal. As a precautionary measure, the T&T Spirit was withdrawn from service and subsequently returned to Port of Spain Sunday and arrived after midnight yesterday. The Port Authority, in coordination with NIDCO, is maintaining contingency arrangements to support inter-island ferry operations and to accommodate affected passengers, including the adjustment of sailings where necessary, the Port Authority said in a release.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Port Authority apologises to all passengers affected by the disruption and thanks the travelling public for its patience as these assessments and operational adjustments continue,\u201d it added.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/strong> <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

… absence of an operational cargo<\/span> vessel to supply the … on existing vessels to transport cargo<\/span> between Trinidad and Tobago. … Carnbee. Williams said two cargo<\/span> vessels are required to adequately … to have two cargo<\/span> vessels\u00e2\u0080\u0094two smaller cargo<\/span> vessels\u00e2\u0080\u0094that could …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-74814","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","wpcat-1-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74814","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=74814"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74814\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=74814"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=74814"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=74814"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}