MV Konawaruk 1899 vessel commissioned as demand for ferry service grows 

The MV Konawaruk 1899 vessel was commissioned on Friday evening and immediately began plying the Parika- Supenaam route, which has a growing demand for more ferry services.

The vessel cost just under US$5 million. It can accommodate nearly 400 persons, 81 cars, and is Guyana’s first modern double-ended ferry.

Public Works Minister Juan Edghill confirmed that the vessel was sought in response to the demand for more transportation services between Regions Two and Three. In fact, two-thirds of all the passengers on Guyana’s waterways use the Parika- Supenaam route connecting the two regions.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips highlighted the government’s aim of boosting trade and connectivity along the coastal regions.

“It means the farmers’ produce from Region Two reaches the markets of Region Three with its freshness intact and its value undiminished; it means businesses move at the speed of opportunity, not the speed of outdated schedules,” Prime Minister Phillips said.

The MV Konawaruk, which was called ARIS IV before its commissioning, has been named after an Indigenous area in Region Eight. Altogether, the Konawaruk 1899 name reflects on Guyana’s territorial integrity and the 1899 Arbitral Tribunal Award.

Meanwhile, Edghill also revealed that another modern vessel is being acquired to ply the Georgetown to Region One route. That vessel, like the Konawaruk 1899, is expected to help meet the increased demand for ferry services.