Work is continuing apace on the historic US$300 million Vreed-en-Hoop (West Coast Demerara) shore base, with dredging and widening of the Demerara River channel and removal of wreckages completed and land reclamation commencing.
This was explained in a statement from NRG Holdings Incorporated, after one of its Directors, Azruddin Mohamed, toured the facility to inspect the ongoing land reclamation works. With dredging, widening and deepening of the Demerara River channel completed, it can for the first time cater for larger vessels.
“With the initial deadline for completion of the first phase of the project set for December 2023, the Guyanese-owned consortium, and Jan De Nul, is ensuring that work progresses smoothly to meet the target,” NRG in the statement.
“Phase one of the project included the deepening, widening and dredging of the access channel as well as the removal of wreckage. These have all completed and the process of the land reclamation has commenced.”
It was further explained that a total of 30 kilometres of the river, at a depth of nine metres, was dredged starting from the shore base at Vreed-en-Hoop. Previously, the channel had a five-metre depth at the lowest tide compared to the nine metres it now has.
“Further, the width of the channel was dredged to a whopping 100 metres, which will now accommodate two vessels – one coming out and one going in. Phase two of the project is set to commence in 2024.”
“The multimillion-dollar port when completed will feature an offshore terminal; fabrication, umbilical and spooling yards; a dry-dock facility; a wharf and berths, and administrative buildings, among other facilities spanning 65 hectares,” NRG said.
In April 2022, ExxonMobil Guyana and the Vreed-en-Hoop Shorebase Incorporated (VEHSI) signed a 20-year agreement for shore base services to be provided at the port of Vreed-en-Hoop facility to support the US oil giant’s operations offshore Guyana. The sod was subsequently turned in June on the US$300 million facility.
The sod-turning ceremony was held within the vicinity of the project site at Plantation Best, West Bank Demerara (WBD). It featured executives from the consortium, as well as Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat and Minister within the Public Works Ministry, Deodat Indar, who hails from the area. Also in attendance was Opposition parliamentarian Ganesh Mahipaul.
VEHSI is a joint venture between a fully-owned Guyanese consortium – NRG Holdings Incorporated, and Jan De Nul Group, the Belgium-based company undertaking the project that specialises in offshore, marine, civil, environment, and project development.
The consortium includes Hadi’s World Inc, owned by businessmen Nazar “Shell” Mohamed and Azruddin Mohamed, Nicholas Boyer and Eddie Boyer of National Hardware Guyana Limited, and Andron Alphonso of ZRN Investments Inc. NRG holds a majority stake of 85 per cent in VEHSI, while the remaining 15 per cent is owned by Jan De Nul – the company that will construct the facility.
At the signing, ExxonMobil Guyana President Alistair Routledge stated that this shore base facility would allow the company to do more construction-related works, such as fabrication, right here in Guyana to support its offshore operations.
He had explained that Exxon has already invested in the Guyana Shore Base Inc (GYSBI) which has enabled them to bring the supply chain for drilling operations and production operations into Guyana almost completely out of Trinidad.
