The Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd., (GRSE), Kolkata, has announced that it has commenced production of an oceangoing passenger-cum-cargo ferry vessel, that it is constructing for the Republic of Guyana.

The Kolkata-based shipbuilding company said that GRSE bagged the order for this vessel on competitive bidding, and the contract was signed with the Transport and Harbours Department of Govt. of Guyana. The 70 M long, 1700 tonnes vessel will be propelled by two caterpillar engines and will have a maximum speed of 15 knots.

The GRSE highlighted that this fuel-efficient vessel has been designed for carrying passengers & cargo in the coastal and riverine area of the Northwest district of Guyana. The ship is designed to carry 276 passengers and 14 crew members along with 14 cars, two trucks, 10 containers and four refrigerated containers.

The ship construction major also highlighted that the successful completion of preproduction activities and the same has been achieved amidst the Covid pandemic with its share of lockdowns and restrictions. The plate-cutting ceremony, which signifies the completion of pre-production, was graced by Charrandass Persaud, High Commissioner of Government of the Co-Operative Republic of Guyana, Rear Admiral VK Saxena, IN (Retd), CMD, GRSE, among others.

High Commissioner Persaud said, “This project is a distinct initiative for the Government of Guyana aimed at smart transportation of passengers and cargo. This vessel will create a new benchmark in the field of passenger and cargo movement for Northwest District of Guyana.”

Rear Admiral Saxena stated that GRSE is proud to construct this vessel for the Guyana Government, thereby contributing towards friendly bilateral relations between the two nations, reminding that GRSE was the first Indian shipyard to export a warship, an offshore patrol vessel, to the Government of Mauritius in 2015.

The shipyard also delivered a fast patrol vessel (FPV) to the Government of Seychelles, this year and also bagged a contract from Bangladesh for the construction of six patrol boats, again on competitive bidding. The shipyard is currently executing five shipbuilding projects including three advanced stealth frigates under Project 17A, four survey vessels and eight anti-submarine warfare shallow watercraft for the Indian Navy, apart from one FPV for the Indian Coast Guard.