Expansion plans have been eyed for Guyana’s first floating dry dock, owing to the fast-paced development of its marine sector pulling larger vessels to the country’s shores.
Named Dock Yard (DY), the facility has been running since January after getting the necessary approvals from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), according to Business Development Officer, Rajendra Singh.
Quoted in the Q1 2023 Edition of Energy Magazine, Singh explained that the facility is spread across 94-metres but soon, this will increase to 110-metres.
DY is a one-stop shop for full-maintenance services for vessels; from descaling, washing hulls, sandblasting, painting and steel charging. Located on the bank of the Demerara River, Singh explained to Energy Magazine that the facility has the capacity to service over 60 vessels annually.
The DY developers conceptualised the facility with Guyana’s projected national economic development in mind. DY boasts a 150-tonne crane along with a concrete wharf spanning some 145 feet. Direct employment has been created for 25 full-time employees and according to Singh, DY will be looking to bring on up to 150 part-time employees as the need arises.
“Without supporting infrastructure, much of the business opportunities are carried to other countries when they can be carried out in Guyana,” he said.
Traffic on Guyana’s waterways has seen a sharp increase with the buzz of oil and gas activities offshore. Weekly port calls jumped to 52 per week, up from merely seven, back in 2021. And that number is said to have increased further.
And with aggressive wreck removal campaigns being conducted by the government, Guyana’s main channel, Demerara, will be able to accommodate even larger vessels.
Check out the article in the Q1 2023 edition of Energy Magazine here: http://www.energyupdate.gy/books/qpdz/#p=1
