On 10th May Damen Yichang Shipyard launched a RoPax 6716 into the water. The vessel will be operated by the Port Authority of Timor-Leste (APORTIL). It will operate between Timor-Leste’s capital Dili, the Oecusse enclave and the island of Ataúro, carrying up to 308 passengers, vehicles and cargo. The ferry will stimulate increased access to trade, education and employment.
The construction of the vessel took place during some of the most challenging months of the COVID-19 pandemic and it was...