A new passenger ferry, built in The Gambia using local materials, is now in the finishing stages. The ferry, which was built for a company in Sierra Leone, has the capacity to carry more than 90 passengers.

The company which builds these ships is A&A Industries (Pvt) Ltd. The company is part of a large group which started operations way back in the 1950s in Dubai and Pakistan. The company came to The Gambia in 1998 and has a shipyard at Saro, the entrance to Banjul. It recently made history by making the first full sized fishing trawler to be built in the country. This achievement which was publicised both at the national and international levels gained the company much acclaimed. The fishing trawler was featured in the December 2007 issue of International Fishing News.

The new boat, which proudly bears the ‘Made in The Gambia’ inscription, is not only a symbol of good workmanship but one of hope for a fledgling industry. Ship building in the country had never really taken off before. That ships of such calibre can not only be made here, but can also be exported’ speaks volumes of the potential of this industry.

The industry will definitely be help to cut down employment figures, and bring much needed foreign exchange, it can also help to boost the country’s prestige internationally. The development of the sector will also be a boost for other sectors such as the fisheries, the transportation (especially on the River Gambia) and tourism sectors.