'US$12.7M MV Ma Lisha still idle' ...embattled Edghill blames shifting soil, failed Port Kaituma wharf

‘US$12.7M MV Ma Lisha still idle’ …embattled Edghill blames shifting soil, failed Port Kaituma wharf

Jul 22, 2026 News

(Kaieteur News) – The government’s US$12.7 million MV Ma Lisha remains idle, more than three years after its acquisition, with Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill disclosing Tuesday that the vessel has still not made its maiden voyage to Port Kaituma, Region One, because the newly constructed wharf there developed structural problems after the soil shifted, forcing sections of it to be rebuilt.

'US$12.7M MV Ma Lisha still idle' ...embattled Edghill blames shifting soil, failed Port Kaituma wharf

Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill

Edghill made the disclosure while addressing the National Toshaos Council (NTC) Conference at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).

The MV Ma Lisha arrived in Guyana in April 2023 and was acquired to improve river transportation, particularly for hinterland communities in Region One.

“The only reason why the MV Ma Lisha has not yet made a maiden journey to Port Kaituma is that we have built out the wharf for that boat to berth, and everybody in the area knows there was significant movement of the soil and we had to break out a whole section and have it reconstructed,” Edghill told the conference.

The new MV Ma Lisha vessel which sails from Georgetown to Kumaka, Region One.

The old MV Barima which capsized on Saturday night.

The minister also said extensive work had been carried out on the MV Barima, describing it, prior to Saturday night’s tragedy (July 18), as the vessel “of choice for both residents and business people to get into Port Kaituma.”

The MV Ma Lisha was built by Indian company Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited, under a deal signed in 2021. The government acquired the vessel through a loan from the Indian government, with a condition attached that the ferry be built in India. Officials have said the US$12.7 million vessel can accommodate 250 passengers, 12 sedan-type vehicles, and two trucks.

The MV Ma Lisha, which currently sails to Kumaka from Georgetown, was also expected to serve residents of Port Kaituma upon its arrival. Ahead of the vessel’s arrival, the Ministry of Public Works had announced plans to upgrade the Port Kaituma wharf to accommodate it.

According to a Department of Public Information (DPI) article dated March 19, 2024, infrastructural works on the wharf began on January 17, 2023, and were expected to be completed by April 17, 2024, at a cost of $1.4 billion, undertaken by International Import and Supplies. DPI reported at the time that the project was 80 percent complete.

More than three years later, this publication understands, the wharf remains unfinished. The project has faced repeated structural challenges throughout construction.

Addressing those setbacks, the contractor said in a 2024 statement that the initial failure of the revetment was assessed to be the result of a design flaw beyond the company’s control.

Section of the $1.4B Port Kaituma wharf being constructed in Region One. (Photos shared by Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill via Facebook in February 2026)

The company further disclosed that as of February 18, 2024, the project was on schedule and approximately 90 percent complete. During the final stages of casting pile caps, however, fissures were observed within the backfilled area, prompting an immediate halt to work and notification to the consultant and the Ministry, the company said.

Initial investigations indicated that the tie rod strength specified in the original design was inadequate. An independent third-party firm was subsequently engaged to review the design and identified additional deficiencies, particularly in the affected zone of the structure. The Ministry then retained that firm to conduct a new geotechnical survey and prepare a revised design.

A new, independent design has since been completed, addressing the deficiencies identified in the original plan, including the use of longer, thicker piles and tie rods. Those materials have already been procured, and preparations are underway to resume work on the project, the company noted in its 2024 release.

On Sunday morning, Edghill had stated that the MV Barima is the vessel used to travel to Port Kaituma, explaining that the route requires a smaller vessel suited to the port’s particular conditions, while the MV Kimba and MV Ma Lisha service Mabaruma instead.

The 87-year-old MV Barima sank about seven miles offshore near Iron Punt, in the vicinity of the Pomeroon River, while on a scheduled voyage from Georgetown to Port Kaituma on Saturday night. Approximately 179 people and cargo were aboard when the vessel capsized. Since the incident, 53 bodies have been recovered and 76 people rescued.

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MV Ma Lisha, Port Kaituma wharf, shifting soil

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