– as part of efforts to modernise local maritime sector – President Ali says

WHEN the $535 million Arapaima Pilot Boat touched Guyana’s shores, it began modernising the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD).

This was according to President Dr. Irfaan Ali, on Wednesday, at the commissioning of the Arapaima Pilot Vessel at the Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard Headquarters, Ramp Road, Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

The 14-person PB Arapaima was custom-built by Ocea Shipbuilding Limited in France, following a needs assessment conducted by the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD).

It is built from aluminum, which is about 30 per cent lighter than steel, strong, and has good corrosion resistance. This translates to higher speed, lower fuel consumption and easier navigation.

Ten persons were also trained and certified in the operation of the boat.

This is in keeping with the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) 2020–2025 manifesto’s goal for “Infrastructure Boom: Building for the Future.”

The brand-new ship is supposed to drastically cut down on how long it takes pilots to get the vessel out to sea.

In his feature address, the President emphasised that the “ageing assets” and “bad decisions” made by the previous administration in 2018 have cost the present government substantially, as they have had to spend $50 million a year maintaining the vessel brought by the opposition.

“We have aging assets. Bad decisions in 2018 by the last government led to the acquisition of what was supposed to be a new asset for just around $300 million. One year afterwards, we spent more than $300 million on spares, and that takes it to about $600-plus million. That vessel is costing us about $50 million annually to maintain,” President Ali explained.

However, the Arapaima not only comes with a year of free maintenance and warranty, but it is also expected that starting in the second year, maintenance of the ship will cost no more than $20 million and will use less fuel.

Noting that the maritime sector has always been the backbone of global trade, the President asserted that shipping has accounted for 90 per cent of Guyana’s trade, and thus, the sector is a vital and indispensable segment of global and national economies.

President Ali said, “the economic transformation cannot be realised without the modernisation of its maritime sector”.

Further, he stated that Guyana had set itself on the path to not only develop its maritime sector but also help other industries in the economy, along with providing support to trade and commerce and ensuring maritime safety, all to support the country’s economic growth.

He added that the government is aggressively seeking the purchase of a marine firefighter vessel as part of its objective to improve the industry.

In addition, the President remarked that because shipping activity is growing exponentially—it increased by 30 per cent last year and has already surpassed that amount this year—the government is putting a lot of effort into making shipping fast and efficient.

“Guyana is therefore moving rapidly to modernise its maritime sector to ensure that we are ready to operate in a modern economy,” the President asserted.

President Ali stated that work is being done on updating the hydrographic chart to maintain an efficient trade in the oil and gas field and strive to produce a modernised industry.

Further, he noted that in the past two years, the government had spent over $1 billion on marine navigation aids, including the building of 15 beacons in the upper reaches of the Essequibo River, and that more beacons are currently being built in the lower reaches, along with twenty-eight beacons in the Demerara River, all to facilitate safe and continuous navigation in the waterways.

The President added that because human resources are crucial to the development of the maritime industry, it is a provision of the agreements with France, the United States of America, and India that training facilities and modules be made available to individuals working in the maritime industry.

Moreover, in his address, the Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, added that the arrival of the Arapaima Pilot Vessel marks a “historic day in the Maritime sector of our country.”

He also stated that with the increase in marine traffic and commerce, “we must have effective systems in place to ensure the safety and efficiency of our environment.”
“Safety on our waterways is something that is of utmost importance to this government,” he asserted.