The Board of Inquiry that was set up to probe the Panamanian fuel tanker, MV Tradewind Passion’s, collision with the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) last Saturday has completed its works and handed over its findings to the Public Works Ministry on Friday.
The report was presented to Public Works Minister Juan Edghill by Captain Joseph Lewis – a Marine Officer and Surveyor of Ships, who led the team during the investigation.
Public Works Minister Juan Edghill receiving the report from the BoI set up to probe last week’s collision at the Demerara Harbour Bridge
Captain Lewis assured the Minister that every check was made during their probe. Additionally, he indicated that interviews were conducted to gather as much information as to accurately compile the report.
“Being a marine surveyor that deals with international ship, I have very high standards and with this report here I am very impressed, it has met my standard and we hope it will also meet your standard, Minister,” he stated.
The report was handed over in the presence of the other BoI members: Thandi McAllister – Director of Legal Affairs at MARAD; Yolanda Hughes – Member of the Board and a Staff of Transport and Harbours Department; Inspector Carlos Ross of the Marine Division of the Guyana Police Force; Lt Col David Shamsudeen of the Guyana Defence Force’s Coast Guard; Patrick Thompson – Chief Transport & Planning Officer at the Public Works Ministry, and Dimitri Ali, Member of the Board of Directors of the Guyana National Shipping Corporation.
The BoI, which was set up immediately after the collision, was given a seven-day timeline to submit its report. They officially started their investigation on Monday last.
During the retraction of marine traffic in the wee hours of Saturday, the fuel ship, which was transporting fuel to the Guyana Oil Company (GuyOil), crashed into the bridge. The damage to the critical structure was extensive with at least four spans and a pontoon affected. It also resulted in DHB Corporation’s Shift Supervisor, Andy Duke, who was on duty at the time on the bridge, suffering a broken left leg after he was forced to jump to safety.
At the time, the vessel was heading south and was the last of five vessels to cross through the bridge, which had to be out of commission over the weekend and only opened on Monday to light vehicular traffic. A scheduled arrangement was subsequently put in place for vehicles carrying less than 18 tonnes as works continue on the bridge.
Updating reporters on the repairs at the bridge, Minister Edghill said on Thursday that the team is working miracles since they are conducting work while simultaneously facilitating the movement across the bridge.
“Those are things some engineers and technicians would want the bridge to be closed to do. But with proper planning and putting heads together, we’ve been able to [open the bridge],” he explained.
The Public Works Minister further pointed out that while significant work has been conducted over the past few days to get the bridge to a working stage, there is much more to be done. But he could not give a timeline for when these works will be completed so that the bridge can return to normal operations.
“We’re working on everything to make that happen… It’s nowhere near the finish, but significantly advanced, great work is being done by the engineers and the contractors,” he stressed.
However, over the past two days, Edghill noted that efforts were being made to prepare the bridge for retractions to allow the flow of marine traffic.
“…Getting the bridge functional for vehicular traffic is only one aspect. They have to get the bridge functional as well for marine traffic because it must be able to the retraction to allow for the passage of boats,” he stated.
In fact, the DHBC on Friday issued a public advisory that the bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic for one hour today – from 08:30h to 09:30h – to facilitate marine traffic; the first retraction in days.
But even as works still continue on the bridge, Minister Edghill disclosed that the repairs have already racked up a bill of over $1 billion and counting. He reiterated that the company that owns the vessel will have to foot the bill for ongoing repair works.
In fact, he revealed that the Panamanian vessel remains detained by local authorities in Guyana’s waters.
“We’ve already done all the necessary legal paperwork. The ship is legally under arrest, because we’ve filed all the necessary paperwork,” the Public Works Minister disclosed on Thursday.
