3 companies bid to salvage MV Barima

Two Guyanese companies and a Netherlands-based firm have submitted bids to salvage the MV Barima, a passenger and cargo ferry that sank off the coast of Guyana, claiming the lives of about 100 persons.

According to the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), the companies that submitted bids are Industrial Fabrication Inc., BK International Inc., and KMS BV.

Industrial Fabrication Inc., also known as InFab, was founded in 2003 by Jerry Max Goueia and Dyland Fields, according to its website. The company proposes to salvage the ferry at a cost of $1,895,000,000.

BK International Inc., founded by Brian Tiwarie, operates across several sectors, including sea defence, civil and commercial construction, marine transportation, and aviation. The company proposes to salvage the ferry at a cost of $1,034,000,000.

KMS BV is a registered commercial ship owner and manager based in Vijfhuizen, Netherlands which is proposing to salvage the MV Barima at a cost of $2,035,100,000.

NPTAB opened the bids on Monday. Companies were invited to submit Expressions of Interest (EOIs) to retrieve the vessel, which sank off the Essequibo Coast on July 18, 2026. The government had not disclosed how many companies submitted EOIs but noted that they would be shortlisted and invited to submit bids.

In the tender advertisement published by the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), it was explained that the MV Barima is a passenger and cargo ferry of approximately 38.6 metres (m) in length overall, 8.9m in beam, and 2.9m in depth, registered in Georgetown, Guyana, and fitted with twin Caterpillar C18 diesel main engines and Caterpillar diesel generator sets.

According to the Department, the vessel is presently lying as a wreck in approximate positions: Latitude 07° 28′.213 North, Longitude 058° 23′.443 West, in water depths of about 13-15 metres (42-49 feet).

“Visibility at the wreck site is poor, and strong currents and tidal streams may be encountered at times, necessitating suitably robust procedures and equipment for safe operations… The Contractor must propose methods and sequences for all stages of the operation,” the ad detailed.

To this end, MARAD said it is seeking reputable salvage companies with a proven track record of successful vessel salvage operations in Guyanese or wider Caribbean waters, particularly environments characterised by strong currents and restricted visibility.

Moreover, proposals must include a description of the proposed technical approach for the MV Barima salvage, with emphasis on the measures to protect and document forensic evidence for use by the Commission of Inquiry that was set up to probe the tragedy. Additionally, companies were asked to specify environmental protection measures.

MV Barima was en route to Port Kaituma, Region One (Barima-Waini), with 179 persons onboard when it capsized and sank off the Essequibo Coast on the night July 18.