Guyana, Suriname seeking alternative as MV Canawaima nears 2027 lifespan

Last Updated on Sunday, 20 September 2026, 20:28 by Writer

Guyana and Suriname are working on a contingency plan if the MV Canawaima is pulled out of service next week for major rehabilitation, public works minister Juan Edghill said Sunday.

“We are working on the MB Sandaka which was used before,” Mr Edghill told Demerara Waves Online News.

That barge was previously used in 2019 as the replacement vessel to serve the Moleson Creek, Guyana to South Drain, Suriname route across the bordering Corentyne River.

Last month, there was a six-day suspension of the MV Canawaima ferry, causing vehicles, passengers and goods to be stranded on both sides of the river. That vessel resumed temporary operations on August 29.

The minister’s disclosure followed the Suriname government’s statement earlier this month that MV Canawaima is provisionally allowed to continue operating until September 28.

The government said an inspection by the Maritime Administration of Suriname would determine whether the ferry might continue plying the route if serious shortcomings were identified again.

Chairman of the Canawaima Management Company Naraindeth Seopershad said systems for fire safety, rapid evacuation, and radar, among areas, did not meet the requirements. 

In addition, the Suriname government said there were problems with leaks in the hydraulic systems that still need to be resolved.

The Canawaima is looking for companies that can carry out this work. 

The ferry last went into dry dock for major maintenance in 2021 and should have returned for another round in 2023, government added. 

Suriname’s presidential advisor Faizel Baarn reportedly called the technical situation worrying.

According to him, President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons has ordered that the safety of passengers and goods be prioritised.

The MV Canawaima would technically reach the end of its operational lifespan in 2027 and according to the inspection report, Mr Baarn believed a replacement vessel must be sought immediately.

Mr Seopershad also said in the government statement that the company should be restructured to secure the important long-term connection between Guyana and Suriname.