GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Public Works Juan Edghill Wednesday welcomed the launch of the passenger and cargo ferry, MV Ma Lisha, which is due to leave India soon for Guyana.
“With a current top speed of 15 knots, it will cut the travel time by half; three wharves where this vessel will be docked are being constructed to accommodate the feature of a roll on roll off type,” said Edghill, who is in India at the head of a government delegation.MV Ma Lisha
Officials say the 70-meter-long vessel is expected to cut the travel time from Georgetown to the North West by at least 50 percent. The two boats currently plying the route take about 24 hours.
The MV Ma Lisha was constructed in India at an estimated cost of US$12.7 million. She was officially launched on Wednesday in Kolkata, India, at the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE) yard.
The vessel is designed to carry 294 passengers, 14 vehicles, two fully-loaded trucks, and ten containers and also includes a refrigerated area. It can take 250 Tons and complies with all international regulations.
Edghill, accompanied by his wife to the launch, said such vessels are needed for transportation in Guyana’s waterways.
“Credit is certainly due for GRSE for having completed so much work on the ferry in such a short time. I am sure it will provide great service to the people of Guyana and Region One (Barima-Waini) in particular,” Edghill said.
He added that the construction of the ferry would aid in further building the relationship between Guyana and India.
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