The new $2.5 billion (US$12.7M) north west ferry, MV MA Lisha will depart Port Georgetown on Thursday, August 10, 2023, at 4 pm for its inaugural trip to Region One.
MV MA Lisha will then return to Georgetown from Kumaka, Region One on Tuesday, August 15, 2023, at 4 pm, according to a release yesterday from Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill.
The ferry which will ply the Barima-Waini/Georgetown route can accommodate 250 revenue paying passengers, 12 Sedan type vehicles and 2 trucks.
MV MA Lisha was built by Indian company Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited and has special features to mitigate challenges faced by travelers.
The vessel arrived in Guyana in late April and was commissioned by President Irfaan Ali and India’s Minister of External Affairs Dr S Jaishankar.
In June, Edghill explained that the delay in the operation of the ferry was due to the stellings not being in a state to accommodate the vessel. The Public Works Minister had also explained that while the rehabilitation of the existing stellings is taking place, new stellings to easily accommodate the vessel were being addressed.
Given the length of time the vessel was under construction, critics had pointed out that there was ample time for necessary arrangements and accommodations to be in place since the specifications of the vessel were known ahead of its arrival.
The MA Lisha has a front ramp which can accommodate easy loading and discharging of cargo at ports of call. The vessel also has side boarding capacity.
A total of 19 staff members from the navigation, mechanical and auxiliary departments of the T&HD were trained in India to operate the new ferry.
The vessel was procured through a US$18 million grant/line of credit from India, with US$8 million in the form of a grant and US$10 million in a line of credit.
MA Lisha is Warao for word friendship
