By Bishop Witmos

Mangochi, January 11, Mana: Minister of Lands, Deus Gumba has commissioned a research vessel on Lake Malawi which will be used for scanning resources that are found below the surface of water including generating maps for navigation of ships that sail on the lake.

The vessel, which is called Timber, was assembled in 1989 but has been off lake for 17 years since 2006 after it broke down.

Speaking during the commissioning of the vessel in Monkey Bay, Mangochi on Wednesday, Gumba said the ship will help enhance hydrographic surveys on the lake as well as improving economic status of the country through revenue generation.

“This vessel will enable us conduct more research within the blue economy because it has equipment which is able to scan and measure anything below the surface of the water.

“The development will, in one way, provide us an opportunity to boost revenue. For instance, right now, we have people from England, who have come to do some research on Lake Malawi. They have already borrowed it for three months, to pay us K1,650,000 per day; the revenue that we have been looking for,” said Gumba.

Gumba said there was a gap during the time the vessel was off water as other important services within his ministry were not adequately done.

Government has managed to buy two engines that have enabled the vessel to bounce back with full force.

In his remarks, Surveyor General under the Department of Survey in the Ministry of Lands, Masida Mbano, said the vessel has been maintained with state of the art equipment so that it can also be used by other security bodies for marine services.

“Inside it, we have an equipment called multi-beam equal sounder which scans the depth of water on the lake and produces maps that are used for navigation of ships that sail on the lake. This can enable security agencies to operate marine services,” said Mbano.