The new and eagerly anticipated $2.5 billion (US$12.7M) MV MA Lisha will depart Port Georgetown on Thursday, August 10, 2023, at 16:00hrs (4PM) for its inaugural trip to
Region One.
MV MA Lisha will then return to Georgetown from Kumaka, Region One on Tuesday, August 15, 2023, at 16:00hrs (4PM), according to the Public Works Ministry.
The ferry which will ply the Barima-Waini/Georgetown route can accommodate 250
revenue paying passengers, 12 Sedan type vehicles and 2 trucks.
MV MA Lisha was built by Indian company, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers
Limited, and has special features to mitigate challenges faced by travelers.
The vessel arrived in Guyana’s waters back in April after setting sail from Kolkata to Chennai, and then making its way through the Atlantic Ocean to Trinidad.
On April 3, 2023, the vessel was offloaded from the MV Sun Rise at the Port of Chaguaramas and sailed over to local waters.
A 14-member Guyanese crew led by veteran Guyanese Captain and Director of Maritime Safety at the Maritime Administration Department, Captain Courtney McDonald, was onboard the vessel to guide it home to Guyana.
The Guyanese crew was complemented by three crew members from Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited, and two technicians from MACORP.
Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, had said earlier this year that this vessel will support the Government’s pursuit of transforming and improving the country’s transport infrastructure, especially for the hinterland regions.
“This new North-West bound ferry which has the capacity to accommodate up to 276 passengers, along with 18 crew members, can also carry 14 sedan-type vehicles and two trucks. It is ideal for this route and we are especially happy to bear witness to the improvements that this will bring to the lives of residents, who will now be able to travel more freely, frequently, and comfortably.”
“The economic gains for local businesses are also expected to be many, as persons shipping produce in and out of region one will now have access to a cold and cool room storage, thereby reducing spoilage. The vessel can also accommodate up to 250 tonnes of cargo,” Minister Edghill has stated.
The MV MA Lisha has a front loading/offloading ramp which can accommodate easy loading and discharging of cargo at ports she will call on. The vessel also has side-boarding capacity.
A total of 19 Navigational, Mechanical and Auxiliary Staff of the Transport and Harbours Department were trained in India during 2022 and earlier this year, to operate the new ferry vessel.
