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Over 3,000 vehicles shipped in last year- MARAD
– 259 boat licences issued
Claudette Rogers, Director General (ag), of MARAD
By Leonard Gildarie
The Maritime Administration (MARAD) says that almost 369,000 tonnes of cargo were brought into Guyana legally last year via vessels.
Speaking on the performance of that department at the Ministry of Public Works yesterday, Director General (ag), Claudette Rogers, also disclosed that 866 ships were piloted in, bringing in more than 3,000 vehicles, including cars for importers.
Licences for 259 vessels were issued in 2009, including for cargo, fishing, passenger and pleasure purposes.
According to Rogers, MARAD was able to repair several of its vessels and continue its programme of a 24-hour dredging of the ship channel in the Demerara River, a key port entry point to the city and its environs.
An initiative by Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn, to have passenger boats covered saw relative success with 93 out of 205 vessels already complying.
With regards to the compliance of the port facilities in the country with the requirements of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, the official noted that works are continuing to ensure that there is conformity.
The ISPS is a comprehensive set of measures to enhance the security of ships and port facilities, developed in response to the perceived threats to ships and port facilities in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States.
Dredging of the country’s waterways to allow ships in continued last year at full speed with over 2,200 hours spent taking out almost 395,000 cubic meters of ‘spoil’.
Last year, MARAD said that it recorded three deaths in river fatalities from nine accidents. There were 10 serious injuries.
The department says that this year it will be working to implement a long range tracking system to target the larger vessels of 300 and above.
In addition, focus will be placed to continue the 24-hour dredging and to provide a 24-hour pilotage to incoming boats.
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