Age does not sink a ship

Jul 24, 2026 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

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(Kaieteur News) – In the aftermath of the heartbreaking MV Barima tragedy, one argument has gained remarkable traction. That argument is repeated on social media, in conversations, and even by some who should know better. The argument is that the vessel was old and therefore it was not seaworthy. That it should have long been retired.

That argument may sound persuasive, but it is neither technically sound nor supported by the evidence. If the age of vessels was the basis for retiring them, then most of our freebies would have been grounded and there would have been no such service.

The age of a vessel, by itself, does not determine whether it is safe to operate. What determines seaworthiness is its structural condition, the quality of maintenance, compliance with maritime safety standards, regular inspections, and timely repairs.

A well-maintained vessel can remain in service for many decades. Conversely, a relatively new vessel that is poorly maintained can become unsafe in a short period.

The MV Barima itself illustrates this point. Since 2015, the vessel underwent several significant periods of rehabilitation and repair. In 2017, it completed a major rehabilitation costing approximately G$150 million. After those repairs, the government boasted that the time for journeys to the North West were substantially reduced.

This was under the APNU+AFC government. So, are those persons who are contending that the vessel was not structurally sound saying that the APNU+AFC only undertook these major renovations to last a few years? Is this what they are saying?

The works included upgraded passenger accommodation, increased capacity and the installation of a new cargo crane. Before returning to service, the Maritime Administration Department conducted inspections to certify the vessel as seaworthy.

In 2021, the Barima was again taken out of service to undergo extensive engine repairs after years without major maintenance. Replacement engine parts were imported before the vessel resumed operations.

In 2022, another round of emergency repairs costing approximately G$90 million was completed following technical assessments by the Transport and Harbours Department. In 2024, the vessel underwent further docking and underwater repairs, including hull work, sandblasting and painting before returning to service. Earlier this year, Government budgeted an additional G$124.5 million for further rehabilitation works on the vessel.

These are hardly the actions of authorities operating a vessel that needed to be abandoned because of its age. Nor is the Barima unique.

The MV Lady Northcote, built in 1937, remains one of Guyana’s oldest operating vessels. Nearly ninety years after entering service, it continues to transport passengers and cargo to the North West District following extensive rehabilitation. Likewise, the MV Torani, commissioned in 1960, faithfully served the Berbice crossing for decades.

In 2019, there were reports of extensive rehabilitation costing $488M rehabilitation of another vessel the M. V. Kimbia. This is also an old boat, though not as old as the Mv. Barima.

Around the world there are even more striking examples. Washington State Ferries in the United States still operates vessels built in the 1950s after repeated overhauls and modernisation programmes. Canada’s famous MV Princess of Acadia served for almost fifty years before retirement. Norway, Scotland and Japan all continue to operate ferries that are forty, fifty and even sixty years old.

None of these vessels remained in service simply because they were old. They remained in service because qualified engineers repeatedly determined that they continued to meet safety standards after repairs and inspections.

Ships are not like motor cars that are discarded after reaching a certain birthday. Around the world, commercial vessels frequently remain in operation for fifty years or more. Some cargo ships, tugs and passenger ferries have served for seventy years or longer because they have been continuously maintained, surveyed and upgraded. This is why we should resist the temptation to embrace simplistic explanations.

The investigation into the MV Barima tragedy is expected to examine issues of maintenance and the physical condition of the vessel among other things. This would be relevant to a determination of a vessel’s seaworthiness. The issue of the vessel’s seaworthiness must come from qualified investigators, not from assumptions based solely on the year stamped on the vessel’s builder’s plate.

Repeating the claim that “the vessel was old, therefore it was unseaworthy” may satisfy our desire to blame the government. But it is not evidence. It is speculation masquerading as fact.

Our country has suffered an immense tragedy. The victims and their families deserve something far better than recycled myths and discredited narratives. They deserve a careful, professional and evidence-based investigation that follows the facts wherever they lead.

Until then, we should stop confusing age with unseaworthiness. In maritime engineering, they are simply not the same thing.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

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• age, MV Barima tragedy, Peeping Tom, sink a ship

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