Anastasia Jessemy-Lynch monitors vessel movements across Guyana’s offshore space from a small office in Kingston, Georgetown, ensuring that no ship approaches a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel or enters the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) without approval.
Jessemy-Lynch, Offshore Coordinator at the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), was featured in the first quarter 2026 edition of Energy Magazine, which detailed the work of the unit established after Guyana’s 2015 oil discovery to manage offshore activity.
She said, “This industry requires us to manage this resource efficiently and collaborate with all stakeholders. It requires strategic leadership. All of this has to be done in tandem with safety at the top of our minds.”
Her role centers on controlling access to the EEZ. Every vessel supporting offshore operations, from supply boats to survey ships, must secure clearance before operating near FPSOs or carrying out in-water activities.
Applications for in-water activity (IWA) permits are submitted electronically and reviewed by her team. They verify vessel certification, seaworthiness, and compliance with local and international standards. Only authorized local agents can apply, and they must be Guyanese-registered, tax compliant, and hold a local content certificate.
In routine cases, approvals take about three days. Where issues are identified, applications are returned for correction before clearance is granted.
Crude-lifting tankers follow a separate process. They receive time-bound clearance for a 48-hour lifting window once MARAD confirms that safety requirements are met.
Oversight extends offshore. Each FPSO operating in Guyana’s waters is subject to annual inspection by MARAD. Two ship inspectors travel to the vessels to carry out what Jessemy-Lynch described as a “360° audit.”
They review compliance with international conventions, assess crew training records, and examine onboard procedures. Observations can include how incidents are logged, how equipment is maintained, and how safety practices are applied. Any issue identified must be addressed before a permit is issued or maintained.
Monitoring continues through MARAD’s emergency response division, which tracks vessel movements using systems such as the automatic identification system (AIS) and long-range identification and tracking (LRIT). An unexpected change in position is treated as a potential anomaly.
If a concern is detected, her unit coordinates with agencies including the Coast Guard and Environmental Protection Agency.
Under Guyana’s oil spill legislation, MARAD serves as deputy incident commander, placing Jessemy-Lynch within the national response structure in the event of a spill.
She has held the role for just over three years, during which the scope of the unit expanded as offshore production increased, more FPSOs came onstream, and vessel traffic grew. Responsibilities now cover continuous regulatory oversight in support of offshore operations.
