Guyana’s waterways significantly safer

Guyana’s waterways have been made significantly safer following the removal of 14 of 17 major shipwrecks since 2022.

The Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) has been spearheading the on-going clean-up project.

The clearing of 85 per cent of wreckages makes this a major accomplishment for Guyana.

Speaking at the Ministry of Public Works’ year-end press briefing at the Pegasus Suites and Corporate Centre last Saturday, MARAD’s CEO Captain, Stephen Thomas, attributed this success to robust maritime management efforts and government support.

MARAD is tasked with ensuring the safety of Guyana’s waterways, managing port operations, and overseeing vessel certification and monitoring.

Under its wreck management initiative, the agency has worked tirelessly to enhance the safety and efficiency of Guyana’s maritime channels.

Despite many challenges, primarily due to weather conditions, major strides have been made in clearing wreckages and delivering a positive impact on maritime safety and port operations

Thomas noted that these efforts have boosted Guyana’s image in the global maritime sector. 

“In most of the maritime and nautical publications, Guyana was considered an unsafe port because most ships arriving at our fairway buoy had to keep very far from it because there were a number of wrecks there. All of that is already gone,” he said.

By clearing the wrecks, MARAD has allowed for the accommodation of larger vessels to dock at Guyana’s ports.

“The removal of these wrecks gives us that capacity now and gives ships the confidence that they can come safely to our ports,” the CEO added.

MARAD’s efforts have also paid significant dividends particularly in light of the fact that 2,867 ships were called to port between January and November 2024.

The removal of these wrecks also paved the way for tremendous maritime developments including the deepening and widening of the Demerara-Berbice channel.