THE Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) is monitoring the dredging activity in the Demerara River being carried out by NRG Holding Inc. and is reminding everyone with vested interest that fishing is not permitted in the Demerara ships’ channel.

Dredging is currently ongoing there.
NRG Holdings Inc. is a consortium of local entrepreneurs currently developing the Vreed-en-Hoop Port Project, a release said. The consortium includes ZRN Investment Inc., Hadi’s World Incorporated and National Hardware Limited.

The release noted that before the commencement of this dredging exercise on July 1, 2022, a Dredge Management Plan (DMP) was submitted, which is required by NRG Holding Inc., during the application process for the capital dredging works.

After the go-ahead was given for the project, the DMP document, along with a conditional approval by MARAD, became the primary source document used for monitoring by the agency.
MARAD stated that with the daily monitoring and site inspections of the dredging operations, a close watch is kept on the dumping of the spoils [mud] ensuring dump is only made in the designated areas which have been stipulated in the DMP and the conditional approval.

To date, there have been no incidents of dumping outside of the stipulated area, the release said.
The first phase of this project entails the deepening and widening of the existing channel to 10 meters Chart Datum and widening to 100 meters bottom width.
The main ships’ channel is also being extended to about five miles beyond the existing pilot boarding ground area.

“MARAD also reminds everyone with vested interests that fishing is not permitted in the Demerara ships’ channel, where the dredging is presently ongoing. Also, there are no approved or charted fishing grounds within the identified spoil dumping area,” the release concluded.