A section of the goods wharf at Kingston. (Photo courtesy of Ernestine Leonard)
Dec 16, 2022 – Kaieteur News – The Ministry of Public Works has signed a $1,056,452,458 (US$5M) contract with Kares Engineering Inc. to upgrade the Kingston Goods wharf ahead of the arrival of the new North-West Ferry – MV Ma Lisha.
The US$5 million project was estimated to cost $1,094,079,547. Four firms submitted bids for the project.
The US$12.7 million new passenger and cargo ferry is scheduled to arrive in Guyana after being built in Kolkata, India.
At the signing of the contract this week, Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill explained that this is just one of few wharves that his Ministry intends to upgrade in preparation for the vessel.
The newly built ocean-going passenger and cargo ferry called MV Ma Lisha.
Transport and Harbours wharf
“We have to get adjustments at the Transport and Harbours wharf at Kingston and this would just be the first wharf because we have to get work done at Mabaruma, Port Kaituma and Morawhanna to be able to facilitate that [the ferry] but importantly, we are starting with the Kingston Goods wharf,” he had stated.
Kaieteur News understands that works to upgrade the wharf is scheduled to be completed by December 2, 2023.
Meanwhile, the MV Ma Lisha was built in India by Gardens Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE) as part of the Government of India’s Line of Credit-cum-Grant project. The vessel is slated to ply the Georgetown to North-West route when it arrives in the country.
The ferry which measures 70 metres long was designed by the in house GRSE team. The vessel is being propelled by two caterpillar engines and twin gear boxes to achieve a maximum speed of 15 knots. It is designed to carry 294 persons, 14 vehicles, two fully-loaded trucks, and 10 containers. It has a capacity of 250 tons and complies with all international regulations.
Besides upgrading the wharves, the Ministry had recently sent 10 employees from the Transport and Harbours Department for training related to the new ferry.
