The MV Canawaima could be barred from sailing from August 14 if its operator fails to correct a series of outstanding safety and technical deficiencies identified by the Maritime Authority of Suriname (MAS), according to Surinamese news outlet GFC Nieuws.
GFC Nieuws recently reported that MAS has given the Canawaima Management Company N.V. a final opportunity to address the deficiencies following a re-inspection of the vessel on August 5. The inspection reportedly found that a majority of the deficiencies identified during an earlier inspection remained unresolved.
The demand for improvements comes following the capsizing of the MV Barima in the Atlantic and the loss of around 100 lives.
The authority has instructed the company to submit an action plan outlining a clear timetable for correcting the outstanding problems, carrying out major repairs and scheduling the vessel for dry-docking.
Among the requirements to be addressed by August 13 are ensuring that all legally required safety equipment is available and ready for use, that fire-fighting and fire-detection systems are fully operational, and that crew members possess valid Basic Safety Training and Crowd Management certificates.MAS also wants an independent and recognised ship surveyor to assess the watertightness of the vessel’s hull and cofferdams.
GFC Nieuws reported that if the requirements are not met by August 13, a sailing ban will take effect at midnight on August 14 and remain in place until the required safety measures have been satisfied.
Public Works Minister Juan Edghill did not respond to a request for comment by Kiskadee Watch yesterday, but a press release from the Ministry of Public Works said the Guyana side of the Canawaima joint venture has been engaging its Surinamese counterparts over the issue.
The ministry said it expects the discussions between the two sides to result in a resolution to the matter, while reaffirming Guyana’s commitment to the “letter and spirit” of the joint venture agreement with Suriname and to maintaining a safe and efficient ferry service.
According to the ministry, the joint venture agreement assigns different responsibilities to the two countries. Guyana is responsible for supplying all fuel, lubricants and batteries required for the ferry’s daily operations, while Suriname is responsible for maintenance and dry-docking of the vessel.
The Guyana-Suriname ferry service has been plagued with years of mechanical, maintenance and management issues.
In March 2017, the boards of both the Canawaima Ferry Service and Canawaima Management Company had met after almost seven years without meeting. The previous meeting had reportedly been held in August 2010. The meeting was held in context of the condition and efficiency of the ferry. At the time, neither of the vessel’s two engines was working. One reportedly had a gearbox problem, while the other was leaking about one drum of oil per week.
The two governments were expected to share responsibility for maintaining the vessel, but officials said Suriname had experienced difficulty meeting its share of the costs.
By June 2019, Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Guyana had been funding “most, if not all” of the vessel’s maintenance because Suriname had not been meeting its financial obligations under the arrangement. It was reported that the MV Canawaima had suffered engine damage in September 2017 and that the company had subsequently struggled to secure funding for routine repairs. By 2019, the vessel had to be pulled by a tug to facilitate passenger travel.
The ferry was again suspended in May 2019 because of mechanical problems, and by August, there was still no date for its resumption. The suspension caused a sharp increase in traffic along the informal “backtrack” route across the Corentyne River, with operators reporting daily traffic more than doubling from about 60–70 people to between 150 and 200.
The consequences of Canawaima’s unreliability have also extended to trade and businesses that depend on the ferry as the official link between Guyana and Suriname. In September 2022, the ferry had again been taken out of service following an engine failure. The newspaper noted that interruptions to the service significantly affected businesses because goods and services could not move normally between the two countries.
Despite the recurring problems, the service has generated revenue. In January 2024, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill said the ferry had made 538 round trips between January and November 2023, carrying 88,005 passengers and 14,466 vehicles. The service recorded expenditure of $140.16 million and a profit of $46.21 million during that period.
Edghill said the government was working toward procuring a new engine for the vessel, while repairs to the loading ramp and replacement of wooden rails with galvanized iron were also planned. In February 2025, the Suriname Guyana Chamber of Commerce had proposed a public-private partnership to manage the ferry service, citing the need for improved efficiency, vessel maintenance, docking facilities and digital ticketing.
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