The Technical Acceptance Ceremony for the India-built north west ferry, MV MA LISHA was held in Kolkata, India yesterday.
A release yesterday from the Indian High Commission said that the Guyana team headed by Patrick Thompson – Chief Transport Planning Officer and Yurlander Hughes – Personnel Manager, arrived in India for the Technical Acceptance Ceremony on December 13th 2022.
Three teams of officers/technical staffers from the Ministry of Public Works and the Transport and Harbours Department of Guyana, have already visited India for the ferry inspection and training on the new ferry. The release said that the training covered the mechanical and electrical system of the new ferry.
The ferry was constructed at Garden Reach Ship Builders and Engineers Limited (GRSE) in Kolkata.
The ocean-going ferry was built under the Government of India’s US$ 12.77 million concessional Line of Credit-cum-Grant Project. The release said that the MV Ma Lisha will be the biggest ferry in operation in Guyana and is expected to cater to the transportation needs of passengers and cargo along the river line and the coastal areas of the north western part of Guyana. The ferry can carry 294 passengers inclusive of 18 crew members, 14 Sedan-type vehicles and two trucks and vehicles.
During the handing over ceremony, the Chairman and Managing Director of GRSE, Cmde P R Hari, Indian Navy (Retd) placed on record his appreciation for the role played by Dr. K J Srinivasa, High Commissioner of India to Guyana for facilitating and steering the project. The formal ceremony was conducted after a thorough inspection of the vessel by the top level teams from Guyana.
The release said that the ferry is now expected to leave for Guyana on a semi-submersible transport vessel and is scheduled to arrive in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago by end-January/early-February 2023. After this, it will sail to Guyana on its own. On arrival in Georgetown, it will then be subject to another inspection by the authorities here who will then certify its sea-worthiness. The ferry will be ready to sail only after this process is completed. The formal inauguration of the ferry is expected to be done by President Irfaan Ali.
“The High Commission of India hopes that the delivery of the ferry will ease the transport situation for the inhabitants of north western region of Guyana and assures all further cooperation in such partnerships in the future”, the release added.
