Security and safety of
maritime operations on Lake Victoria waters remains a major challenge to EAC, with
available data showing they are responsible for nearly 5,000 deaths annually.
It is understood,
during the 2014/15 financial year, Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) was
closely engaged with the AfDB over the funds.
“I’m pleased to say
that AfDB is in the process to approve a $20 million to enhance safety and
security of maritime operations on Lake Victoria,” says chairman of EAC Council
of ministers, Dr Abdallah Saadalla.
Dr Saadalla says that
AfDB, would inject the funds through the Multilateral Lake Victoria Maritime
Communication and Transport (MLVMCT) project.
The project is designed around the 4th
EAC Development Strategy (2011-2016) to address maritime transportation and
navigation safety on Lake Victoria.
LVBC
executive secretary Dr Canisius Kanangire says erratic change of weather, poor
communication, unreliable rescue services; overloading and malfunctioning
vessels are major factors behind the 5,000 deaths occurred every year.
Thus the project is expected to
contribute to the provision of safe, efficient, cheap and environmentally
friendly transport links, and fishing activities that are essential to
achieving the goals of poverty reduction and sustainable development.
Blueprint
The blueprint details show that the
project will spearhead the establishment of a Lake Victoria maritime
communication network (MCN).
This component aims to stretch the
range of the current global system for mobile (GSM) communications system to its
technical maximum, using the extended range features.
It also includes a full application of
the networks’ positioning systems, providing accurate location of callers in
distress.
The system will also see the
implementation of a many-to-many communication technology to be used during
rescue missions.
This will involve repositioning and
redirecting of the telecommunications receivers on existing base transmitter
Stations (BTS) already installed by the telecommunications service providers in
areas around the Lake.
Establishment of Regional Maritime
Rescue Communication Centre (MRCC) in Mwanza, Tanzania; and two other
sub-centers in Kisumu, Kenya and Port Bell in Uganda, is key component of the
project.
According to the blueprint, the centres
will be capable to receive and respond to distress calls, locating the victims,
mobilizing, controlling and coordinating rescue missions by rescue boats.
“MRCC will be operated by certified
rescue coordinator and will be a twenty four hour command centre of all rescue
missions” reads part of the design document.
There will be 16 emergency searches and
rescue (SAR) stations distributed around the lake equipped with fast rescue
boats and trained crews.
Three additional boats to be stationed
at the main SAR -- one for each country-- will have larger capacity and first
aid facilities.
The SARs will be co-located within the
Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization’s (LVFO) fishing landing sites.
Weather forecast and value added
services would involve installation of weather data collection system and
information dissemination channels such as SMS alerts and community radio.
Dr
Kanangire says project
will have a positive impact on Lake Victoria’s waterway navigation, making it
more attractive as an alternative means of transporting goods across the EAC.
“In particular, the project is anticipated to increase the safety of navigation –
accurate positioning of vessels in canals and rivers means fewer collisions and
makes it possible to safely navigate even in adverse weather conditions, such
as heavy fog” he stressed.
Moreover the project
will increase the efficiency of Lake Victoria’s navigation and makes it more
environmentally friendly – through better journey planning, operators will be
able to optimize fuel consumption and reduce or eliminate waiting times at docks.
The chairperson of the Fisheries
Union Organisation (FUO) in Mwanza, Mr Juvenari Matagili commended the
initiative, saying it would go along way to reduce marine accidents and improve
security in the water body.
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