New Chinese-owned shipyard eyeing Guyanese market

Last Updated on Saturday, 26 December 2015, 21:00 by GxMedia

A locally-registered shipyard owned by Chinese nationals has begun targeting major Guyanese companies in the hope of building a variety of vessels for them, officials said.

Located at Coverden, East Bank Demerara; Zhong Hao Shipyard Inc. is already in talks with BK International, Toolsie Persaud Limited and several fishing companies.

Stacey Su who owns the company with her husband, Shuzairong Su, said the shipyard has not yet sealed any deals to build vessels but the talks are ongoing. The company also intends to build smaller steel boats fitted with 200 Horsepower engines for about GUY$2 million each.

Zhong Hao Shipyard Inc. has already built a US$2 million power barge named Zhango Hao No. 1 is 183 metres wide and 4.3 meters high .  When completed, the vessel would set sail on January 10, 2014 officials five months after construction began last August. “I felt very heartened, and excited by what we saw here some months ago, the establishment of this shipyard and the construction of this power barge, and we think it is a sign of what would be accomplished in Guyana, and what is being accomplished in Guyana, and we thought we come out here to bring attention to fact that activities are being widened in Guyana so that you could think more of having ships built in Guyana; small ships and repaired here in Guyana,” Prime Minister Samuel Hinds said during a visit to the US$2 million shipyard.

Sue said the company would use the vessel which is fitted with two 600 Horsepower engines to transport logs from a concession at Kwakwani, Upper Berbice River. Company officials say the vessel has a lifespan of 25 years.
Zhong Hao Shipyard Inc. employs 60 persons equally split between Guyanese and Chinese.

Shuzairong Su has been residing in Guyana for 16 years and he has been working mainly in the forestry sector.