The Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) has indicated that they are at present mobilizing from sister agencies equipment to commence dredging works at Chalmers Crossing in the Essequibo River, and when completed it is expected to  accommodate the Transport & Harbours Department (T&HD) ferries. Director General of MARAD, Mrs. Claudette Rogers, in an invited comment to this newspaper indicated that her office had dispatched a letter to the head of the National Drainage & Irrigation Authority (NDIA) Mr. Lionel Wordsworth seeking his agency’s assistance in securing equipment to have the Chalmers Crossing dredged.
She explained that a hydrographic survey was done last month and the report tendered indicates that the present depth at low water is approximately 0.9 meters at chart datum.
The dredging operation is expected when completed to see some 2.5 kilometers in length and 80 meters in width and a new depth of 3.0 meters at low water chart datum which is expected to accommodate any of the T&HD ferries.
She concluded that the cost and time frame would be estimated based on the resources acquired to execute the job since the department at present does not have any operational equipment.
The ferry service operating at present between Parika and Supenaam by the newly-acquired M.V. Kanawan and M.V. Sabanto has been at a disadvantage since the draft of the current channel could not accommodate these vessels at low tide in this area.
This forced the ferry service to operate on a 12-hour basis at the high tide, bringing discomfort to the commuters at the initial stage and forcing the MARAD to execute the hydrographic survey.
It is expected that this operation would bring about a rescheduling to allow more persons to use the present service offered by the T&HD.