Guyanese cargo vessels again using Corentyne River free of cost

Last Updated on Thursday, 23 April 2026, 19:54 by Denis Chabrol

Even as Guyana hopes for a long-term solution to Guyanese cargo vessels using the bordering Corentyne River without hefty charges, a high-level source said Suriname has stopped imposing fees that could be as steep as more than US$5,000.

The source said Suriname had quietly ceased charging US$5,000 in pilotage as well as about US$1.50 per tonne for the movement of quarry products such as stone and wood from concessions in Guyana on the western bank down the Corentyne River.

Foreign Affairs Minister, Hugh Todd told Demerara Waves Online News that so far, the Suriname government had not responded to Guyana’s proposal for Suriname to return to a period when Guyanese vessels were charged a flat rate of US$75.00 per trip. “The request that the President made is for them to go back to the pre-2025 status quo which was US$75 per trip that they were paying which is fair,” he said.

From his perspective, the Foreign Affairs Minister said the Suriname government has not budged from charging the new fees and “what they’re implying is that the fees that they are charging now are going to remain.” In
response to what appeared to have been President Irfaan Ali’s warning about reciprocal action to the detriment of Surinamese businesses operating here, Paramaribo had called on Georgetown to submit a list of vessels for which it wants exemption from charges.

But Mr Todd said Guyana has so far not decided to request exemptions. “That is not an agenda item for us so far,” he told Demerara Waves Online News, adding that the agencies were continuing consultations about systems that could be put in place. “We’ll have to have continuous dialogue with our counterparts in Suriname because it is matter that requires dialogue and a solution that is mutually acceptable,” he said. The Guyanese Foreign Minister was optimistic that the issue could be resolved bilaterally.

Pressed on whether Guyana had submitted a list of the names of the companies that were being asked to pay the charges by Suriname, Mr Todd said “it is not necessary for us to mention the companies.” Demerara Waves is, however, aware that the Guyana government had specifically expressed concern to Suriname about one quarry company.