CGX is preparing to finally initiate cargo operations at the Berbice Deep Water Port (BDWP), with a targeted start in the second quarter of 2024, the company said in recent financial statements.
This follows multiple delays of work on the facility, with its completion still unsure given financing problems. CGX said it completed the access trestle, a 50 x 12 meters structure extending from the quayside yard into the Berbice River, finished on budget and without any health, safety, and environment (HSE) related incidents.
The BDWP is designed to cater to the oil and gas industry as an offshore supply base and function as a multipurpose terminal for various cargo, including agricultural products, containerized goods, and construction aggregates.
The Government of Guyana’s announcement of significant infrastructure projects in Region 6 has hastened the completion of the port’s cargo components. This urgency, CGX said, stems from the need to import aggregates and other construction materials into the region, necessitating efficient and operational cargo handling facilities at the port.Â
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The BDWP is expected to facilitate the loading and unloading of barges, predominantly for aggregates, utilizing the newly completed trestle. Additionally, storing materials at the port yard will be a key feature of its operations. Essential to these operations will be the construction of a ramp for trestle access and the installation of mooring piles to ensure barges can be brought alongside efficiently.
Projected to fully operate the cargo terminal by the end of 2024, with oil and gas support operations anticipated in 2025, the timeline for these operations is contingent upon ongoing construction schedules, the procurement of financing, and the management of supply chain challenges.
CGX has yet to give a guarantee that it will secure the financing to complete the port.
To foster regional trade, Grand Canal Industrial Estates Inc. (a CGX subsidiary) is actively pursuing partnerships between Brazilian and Guyanese companies, CGX said. This initiative aims to kickstart the handling of cargo between the northern states of Brazil, Roraima, Amazonas, and Guyana, leveraging the BDWP’s strategic position to enhance trade flows and economic ties within the region. The port not only has utility in bolstering Guyana’s logistics infrastructure but also has a key potential role in advancing regional commerce.
