Dodi Princess
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Dodi Princess on a cruise in Dodi Island on the Lake Volta
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| History | |
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 Ghana
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| Name: | Dodi Princess |
| Owner: | Volta River Authority |
| Operator: | Volta Hotels |
| Port of registry: | Tema |
| Route: | Lake Volta |
| Builder: | Tema Shipyard |
| Laid down: | 1977 |
| Maiden voyage: | 1977 |
| In service: | 36 years |
| Status: | In service |
| General characteristics | |
| Decks: | 3 passenger decks |
| Speed: | 8.6 knots (15.9 km/h; 9.9 mph) |
| Capacity: | 350 |
Dodi Princess is a cruise boat on Lake Volta in South Ghana. It is owned by the Volta River Authority and is under the management of Volta Hotels. It is the only cruise ship in Ghana.
The ship was built in 1977 at the Tema Shipyard and christened Grains Maid. The vessel was used mainly for the transportation of dry cargo and agricultural products including fertilizer. A typical voyage upstream would carry goods from Akosombo to Yeji in the Brong-Ahafo Region and Buipe in the northern part of Ghana and its downstream voyage would return with yam and grains to the southern part of the country.Grains Maid sailed on the lake from its commissioning in the late 1970s to the late 1980s when its commercial services declined due to financial constraints. After months of low patronage of its services, the vessel was abandoned at the port of Akosombo.
In 1991, the then President of Ghana, Jerry John Rawlings commissioned German engineer, Hans Heins to convert the hull of the vessel to a tour pleasure boat for tourists. Staff of the Maritime Services Unit (MSU) of the Volta River Authority formed a team with Heins to complete the project which was commissioned in 1991, and renamed Dodi Princess. The vessel is the only cruise boat on Lake Volta.
The ship has three decks. The first deck (lower), is an air conditioned, strictly non-smoking cocktail bar, for guests and persons who want to enjoy a quiet cruise. The two upper decks are open aired and allow passengers to enjoy the scenery of the Lake Volta whiles being treated to live band performances from musicians. The middle deck houses a sick bay with the upper deck having a large gridiron for barbecue.
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Wikipedia