MV Victoria

MV Victoria was constructed in 1959 by Yarrow Shipbuilders in Glasgow as a knock-down ship, with its components shipped in crates to Kisumu, Kenya, and reassembled. The vessel was launched on 5 September 1960 and commissioned on 22 July 1961 as RMS Victoria (a Royal Mail Ship) under the East African Railways and Harbours (EAR&H) Corporation. At commissioning it received its Royal Mail Ship designation from Queen Elizabeth II – the only EAR&H vessel to be so honoured.

As a passenger/cargo ferry, it dramatically reduced voyage times around Lake Victoria by providing regular service to all major ports on the lake. Originally it could carry 230 passengers and 200 tons of cargo, with refrigeration for perishables. After Kenya gained independence in 1963, it continued under Kenyan operation until the EAR&H was partitioned in 1977, when MV Victoria was transferred to Tanzania and joined the Tanzanian Marine Services Company fleet.

The ship is about 79.6 meters long with a 12.2 meter beam, and has gross tonnage of 1,353 GRT. Over time its passenger capacity was expanded to about 1,200, making it one of the largest passenger ferries on Lake Victoria. Major overhauls occurred in 1989 and again in 2021. In 2025 MV Victoria resumed operations after maintenance, reflecting its long operational life. It remains an active ferry on Lake Victoria today.