Robben Island (in Table Bay, located west of Cape Town's Bloubergstrand suburb) is expected to increase passenger shipping traffic by 270 via new catamaran-type ferryboat. The ship, that arrived on Friday, July 12, is named Krotoa to honour island's first female political prisoner.
According to Ellerick Olckers, visitor operations specialist at Robben Island Museum, it was of critical importance that they prepared for peak periods months in advance. That enabled the organisation "to be ready in terms of resource acquisition, training of staff, increasing ferry capacity, and retail requirement planning."
MS Krotoa has passenger capacity 285, GT-tonnage 319 tons and cruising speed 28.5 knots (53 kph) when fully loaded. The ferry is scheduled to make her maiden voyage after being given the all-clear by South African Maritime Safety Authority.
Robben Island Museum revealed previously that many tours had to be cancelled last year due to a lack of vessels able to operate in rough seas and, as a result, visitor numbers declined. Thandi ferry sank with 70 people on board back in 2017.