Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill was yesterday presented with the survey charts of the expanded Demerara River channel.
A release yesterday from the Ministry of Public Works stated that the charts were handed over by local consortium, NRG Holdings Inc, which was represented by NRG-owned Vreed-en-Hoop Shore Base Inc partners, Nicholas Deygoo Boyer and Andron Alphonso, and a representative from dredging company Jan De Nul.
According to the release, the consortium, which includes Hadi’s World Incorporated, ZRN Investment Inc, and National Hardware Ltd, is developing the Vreed-en-Hoop Port Project to support Guyana’s growing oil and gas sector.
In handing over the document, Boyer expressed the group’s appreciation to the government for allowing them to undertake the project. “We hope that everybody sees our commitment to Guyana, in terms of doing this.”
“Since we began our project you would have noticed dredges from our partner company, Jan De Nul out there working diligently to open up the Demerara Channel, and now that channel has moved from 70 meters wide to 100 metres wide, 9 metres deep, chart datum, all the information and surveys are contained here… This activity indeed was undertaken by us privately, and we hope that is a show of good faith towards what we want to build in Guyana,” Boyer added.
Edghill, who was accompanied by Director General of Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), Captain Stephen Thomas, and MARAD’s Legal Officer, Thandi McAllister, noted that this particular project provides the Ministry of Public Works and the Government of Guyana with a golden opportunity to showcase to all Guyanese, and the rest of the world, that the President Irfaan Ali-led administration is committed to facilitating and ensuring opportunities for Guyanese businesses to prosper and succeed.
“I am happy today to receive these charts which will now form the permanent records of the Maritime Administration Department of the Ministry of Public Works. This would be able to provide information for notices to mariners and it would also be a good time for us to say that the Government of Guyana intends to engage in ensuring the entire Demerara Channel is active and is able to facilitate the kind of traffic for both imports and exports that is required,” Edghill said.
The Minister also noted that it is the directive of President Ali that this port be able to accommodate and facilitate larger vessels than what currently frequents local waters, as well as accommodate traffic going and coming at the same time.
The release pointed out that since this project began, wrecks have been removed from the channel, the draught has increased from 5 metres to 9 meters, and the channel has been lengthened by 5 miles in the northwest direction, as well as has been widened by more than 60 per cent. The new deeper, longer, wider channel means that larger vessels can now be accommodated in Port Georgetown.
The dredging is being undertaken by the MV Galileo Galilei, which is owned and operated by Belgium international maritime infrastructure company, Jan De Nul.
The US$300 million project is expected to become operational by the fourth quarter of 2023, the release added.
