Chinese vessel soaks up close to $500M in repairs in five years

Apr 22, 2022 News

Kaieteur News – After being repaired for some $279.6 million between 2016 and 2019, the MV Kanawan will be rehabilitated again this year again to the tune of $124,134,846.
According to the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board, the $124 million contract was awarded to Dock Yard on April 19, through the National Competitive Bidding Procedure. When bids were opened for this Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Harbour Department project back in March, the engineer had pegged this project to cost $106,433,760. Kaieteur News had reported that the Ministry is looking to also repair M.V. Sabanto for an estimated cost of $148 million.

M.V. Kanawan

It was reported in the media that in 2016, the former government (APNU/AFC Coalition) had awarded a contract to EC Vieira Investments Limited for the rehabilitation of Kanawan to the sum of $76.9 million. Following this, in 2017, emergency repairs had to be done on the vessel for some $13,048,010; a contract which was given to Courtney Benn Contracting Services Limited. In the 2019 budget, $180 million was allocated for the M.V. Sabanto and Kanawan vessels to undergo general repairs. That same year, a contract was awarded to the tune of $89.7 million for the Kanawan vessel.
Speaking briefly with Kaieteur News, General Manger of the Transport and Harbour Department, Marcelene Merchant had stated that the project will be to do general repairs and maintenance works on the boats. “We are going to address the underwater fittings, the shaft, the propeller, check the thickness of the plate, repairs to the super structure, painting of interior, exterior, repairs works inside, to the washroom and pipes etcetera,” she explained. She noted that once the contracts have been awarded, the duration of the rehabilitation works will be six weeks each.
The Sabanto and Kanawan ferries, which have been operating between Parika and Supenaam for some 10 years now, were gifted to Guyana by the Chinese Government.
It was reported that in December 2010, the PPP/C government signed contracts with the Chinese Government paving the way for the ferries.
The US$14 million boats, which were funded by a US$17 million grant from the Chinese government, were described as a New Year’s gift by the local Chinese Embassy. Following the signing of the contracts, the vessels arrived in the country in December 2011 at Vreed-en-Hoop Stelling and became operational the next year.
The names of the ferries, Sabanto and Kanawan, are Amerindian names. Kanawan means ‘big canoe’ and Sabanto means ‘beautiful one’. Each vessel has three decks and can hold up to 800 persons, 44 cars, and 20 lorries and can travel at a test speed of 12.5 knots.
Senior Minister with the responsibility of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, who presented this year’s budget, announced that over $500 million was allocated to the Ministry to rehabilitate these two vessels and the Makouria ferry.
“Mr. Speaker, the rehabilitation of our ferry vessels, which facilitate the travelling public, is also critical for the movement of people and cargo. To this end, Government has allocated, in 2022, the sums of $2.1 billion for the construction of a new ocean-going passenger and cargo vessel, which will ply the North West District route and $562 million for the docking of Makouria, Sabanto, and Kanawan,” the Minister said.

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News