CGX Energy has announced that the Berbice Port, managed by its subsidiary Grand Canal Industrial Estates Inc., is now fully accredited and operational. The facility began operations on Sunday, December 8, 2024, when a 90m by 25m vessel carrying 3,800 metric tons of aggregates was successfully moored and offloaded, the company announced on Dec. 12.
CGX said the port could accommodate vessels up to 150m long and offers a 10-acre port yard rated to handle 5 tons per square metre. It is linked to the Corentyne highway by a 3 km road with a capacity of 5 tons per axle. A 15-acre logistics yard located at Bramfield, 3.2 km from the port, supports operations.
The launch follows earlier delays in construction. CGX had aimed to begin cargo operations in the first quarter of 2024 and fully open the cargo terminal by mid-2024. CGX estimates that this aspect will be ready in the first half of 2025.
The oil and gas support facility, initially expected by mid-2024, is now planned for early 2025, pending construction, financing, and supply chain factors. Guyana government officials had criticized the company for the delays.
CGX is fostering partnerships with Brazilian and Guyanese companies to manage cargo movement between Guyana and Brazil’s northern states of Roraima and Amazonas. Negotiations are also ongoing for long-term agreements to utilize the port.
Vice President of Guyana, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, had said the facility does not qualify as an actual deep-water port capable of accommodating large vessels like Panamax ships. Nevertheless, there is significant economic potential in the port’s operations once complete, for the economy of Berbice. It will be an offshore supply base for the oil and gas industry and a multipurpose terminal for various cargoes, including agricultural products, containerized goods, and construction aggregates.
