$535M Arapaima Pilot Boat commissioned

By Trina Williams

WHEN the $535 million Arapaima Pilot Boat touched Guyana’s shores, it began modernising the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD).

This was according to President Dr. Irfaan Ali, on Wednesday, at the commissioning of the Arapaima Pilot Vessel at the Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard Headquarters, Ramp Road, Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

The 14-person PB Arapaima was custom-built by Ocea Shipbuilding Limited in France, following a needs assessment conducted by the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD).

It is built from aluminum, which is about 30 per cent lighter than steel, strong, and has good corrosion resistance. This translates to higher speed, lower fuel con- sumption and easier navigation.

Ten persons were also trained and certified in the operation of the boat.

This is in keeping with the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) 2020–2025 manifesto’s goal for “Infrastructure Boom: Building for the Future.”

The brand-new ship is supposed to drastically cut down on how long it takes pilots to get the vessel out to sea.

In his feature address, the President emphasised that the “ageing assets” and “bad decisions” made by the previous administration in 2018 have cost the present government substantially, as they have had to spend $50 million a year maintaining the vessel brought by the opposition.

“We have aging assets. Bad decisions in 2018 by the last government led to