Passenger ferry service launched on the Narva River five years ago is at risk of shutting down as the riverboat Caroline has proved too large for the Port of Narva.
The riverboat Caroline made its final trip of the season from Narva to Narva-Jõesuu in late September. The vessel is currently docked at the Port of Sillamäe, but it remains unclear where it will go next or where it will spend the winter.
The Estonian Transport Administration discovered that Narva's river port is not authorized to accommodate vessels of Caroline's size.
"The Transport Administration conducted a port inspection and found that Caroline is not a small vessel, but the port is registered as a small craft harbor. The port must change its registration. The harbormaster must also hold a license to operate larger vessels rather than just a small craft operator's license," said Kert Süsmalainen, head of the Transport Administration's waterways and ports department.
According to the Transport Administration, the fact that Caroline had previously used the Port of Narva without any problems was due to an oversight by the port operator. Five years ago, the vessel's length was measured at the waterline. However, Caroline's actual length exceeds the permitted limit by 120 centimeters.
The City of Narva is trying to resolve the issue quickly. The port's registration has already been amended and there are plans to establish a passenger waiting area. However, finding a qualified harbormaster for the passenger port could prove challenging.
"It's clear that there are no people with those qualifications in Narva. Language proficiency is another obstacle. Our concern, of course, is that if a harbormaster is hired solely because of our vessel, their entire annual salary costs will likely be passed on to us through port fees. That, in turn, raises the question of whether we can make the numbers work," said Caroline owner Kaspar Eisel.
Operating Caroline on the Narva River is becoming increasingly challenging financially. While the riverboat carried around 10,000 passengers per season in its early years, that number fell to just under 3,000 this summer.
Whether Caroline will operate on the Narva River next summer and under what conditions, will be determined through negotiations with the management of Narva's river port.
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