Guyana's Government is searching for an experienced marine salvage company to raise the MV Barima, the passenger and cargo ferry that capsized off the Essequibo Coast, two independent outlets report. The Maritime Administration Department has invited qualified contractors to submit Expressions of Interest for the complex operation.
By LCN Wire
What is the Government asking salvage firms to do?
INews Guyana reported that the Guyana Government, through the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) under the Ministry of Public Utilities and Aviation, is inviting qualified and experienced marine salvage contractors to submit Expressions of Interest for the salvage of the vessel, which sank exactly two weeks earlier.
News Room Guyana reported the scale of the challenge. According to News Room, the vessel lies in soft mud at a depth of about 13 to 15 metres, where poor visibility, strong currents and tidal streams pose significant challenges for divers and salvage crews. News Room described the MV Barima as a 38.6-metre-long passenger and cargo ferry registered in Georgetown and powered by twin Caterpillar C18 diesel engines.
News Room also reported that MARAD is not prescribing how the vessel should be recovered. Instead, contractors must develop their own technical approach for every stage, from preparing the wreck to lifting and transporting it safely.
Why does the salvage matter beyond recovery?
Kaieteur News reported that mounting pressure from stakeholders across Guyana forced the Government to take steps towards salvaging the 87-year-old MV Barima, which Kaieteur News reported capsized and sank on July 18 with the loss of 73 lives.
News Room reported that a key requirement obliges companies to demonstrate how they will protect and document forensic evidence during the salvage, evidence expected to assist the international Commission of Inquiry established to determine what caused the vessel to capsize. News Room added that contractors must outline measures to minimise environmental impacts, and that the Government is seeking firms with a proven record of vessel salvage operations in Guyana or elsewhere in the Caribbean.
The forensic condition ties the recovery directly to the answers 73 families are still waiting to hear. The tragedy has already reverberated through Guyana's transport sector, with the International Road Federation's Caribbean congress in Georgetown opening with a prayer for the MV Barima victims and delegates being urged to investigate the failure before rebuilding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did the MV Barima sink?
INews Guyana reported the vessel capsized and sank off the Essequibo Coast two weeks before the invitation was published. Kaieteur News reported the incident occurred on July 18.
How many lives were lost?
Kaieteur News reported the incident has so far resulted in the loss of 73 lives.
Who is handling the salvage process?
INews Guyana and News Room Guyana reported the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), under the Ministry of Public Utilities and Aviation, is inviting Expressions of Interest from qualified marine salvage contractors.