The Ministry of Public Works yesterday signed a contract valued some $1.38 billion with a Dutch company for the removal of 17 wrecks, some of them from since the mid-1900s.
The Ministry through the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) said in a release that the contract was awarded to Koole BV of the Netherlands, an international industrial and maritime service and solution provider. The Dutch company specialises in industrial demolition, remediation, wreck removal, and marine construction.
At the signing ceremony, Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill, emphasised that the project is extremely important. “The country is advancing and it is therefore necessary for us to make our waterways safer for ships by removing these 17 wrecks quickly and efficiently.”
This wreck removal project is expected to be completed within eight months and will cover the entrances to the Demerara, Berbice, Pomeroon, Waini, and Essequibo rivers, as well as off of the coast in general.
Director General of MARAD, Captain Stephen Thomas, said that some of the wrecks to be cleared existed since the mid-1900s. He noted that Guyana’s ports were previously viewed as hazardous to seafarers. However, the clearance of these wrecks, along with the three that were cleared earlier this year by Koole BV will allow the country’s ports to be internationally accepted.
According to the press release, the signing of the award also represents the government’s thrust in developing and maintaining the sustainable use of the nation’s ocean and river resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of the ocean’s ecosystem referred to as the Blue Economy. The removal of these wrecks, it stated, is key to port development in Guyana, in particular, the Vreed-en-Hoop port and the gas-to-energy projects.
Once completed, the wreck removal information will be submitted to the United Kingdom Hydro-graphic Office for similar removal from navigation charts. These efforts are expected to garner renew-d confidence for mariners and vessels since it would now be safe to navigate local waters. It will also significantly decrease the insurance risks posed to vessels calling on Guyana’s ports.
