Natural Resources Ministry brokers one-off deal between Bosai, Rusal

− 24,000 tonnes of bauxite for China

The Natural Resources Ministry announced that it has successfully brokered a one-off agreement between Chinese-owned bauxite company, Bosai Minerals (Guyana) Inc and Russian-owned Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc (BCGI), a subsidiary of bauxite giant, RUSAL.

The Ministry in a statement issued on Thursday, hailed the efforts of the companies in recognising the value of the manifold benefits and synergies that can emerge from cooperation and sharing of facilities.

“This agreement, brokered over the past few days, will allow for Bosai Minerals Inc to utilise – for one shipment only – the services of the transhipment station located in the mouth of the Berbice River and which is operated by Oldendorff Carriers – a sub-contractor of BCGI,” the Ministry said in the statement.

As a result of the agreement, Bosai Minerals (Guyana) Inc will be able to dispatch a 24,000-tonne shipment of bauxite to China. The vessel, the HuaAn Sheng, into which the bauxite will be loaded, is expected in Port New Amsterdam today. This vessel has been deemed too large to transit the Demerara River to Bosai’s Linden operations.

According to information released by the Ministry, four smaller vessels will be transporting shipments of between 5000 and 6000 tonnes each from Bosai’s operations in Linden to Port New Amsterdam where their cargo will be transferred onto the HuaAn Sheng.

The Ministry explained that through this arrangement, Bosai Minerals (Guyana) Inc will utilise a transhipment station located in Trinidad before onward shipment of the bauxite to Bosai’s international markets.

“It is hoped that this one-off use of the Oldendorff Carriers’ transhipment facility between Bosai Minerals (Guyana) Inc and Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc will evolve into a longer term arrangement to the benefit of not only the two parties involved, but also to the people of Guyana.”

The Ministry said it is happy to have played a part in brokering the arrangement between the two bauxite companies, and hopes that it is able to assist Bosai in meeting and exceeding targets that both its principals and the Government of Guyana have set.