One day after a barge and a tug slammed into a section of the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) shifting the high span out of alignment, the crossing was reopened on Thursday to marine traffic and specified trucks.
An alignment is expected to be conducted on the Bridge today
The Public Works Ministry, in a release, stated that in the wee hours of Thursday, the DHB maintenance team mobilised equipment and spare components to commence remedial works to the anchorage system of the Bridge. This was done without obstruction to vehicular traffic.
The DHB engineering team also met with the owner of the tug, thereafter identifying all damage to the sub and super structure.
By midday, seven anchor chains were reconnected and one buoy was replaced. The technical team is in the process of quantifying the damages found and the Bridge alignment will be done today.
The Bridge has reopened to marine traffic under the high span while also facilitating trucks up to a maximum gross weight of 18 metric tonnes.
At approximately 16:38h, the tug and barge owned by Deonarine Sookram of D’Edward Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB), ran into the southern section of the DHB at the incline of the high span. At the time, the barge was loaded with bauxite and destined for John Fernandes Wharf in Georgetown.
On Wednesday, the Bridge was only opened to light traffic. As a result of the situation, DHB management waived the payment of tolls until 19:00h to ensure stranded passengers could cross the Bridge faster.
Following the incident, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill and Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn along with DHB Board Chairman Ravi Ramcharitar, General Manager Rawlston Adams and the technical staff were on-site to try to remedy the situation.
As a support measure, the Maritime Department had issued instructions for water taxis plying the Georgetown-Vreed-en-Hoop route to continue to operate until repairs to the Bridge were completed.
In September 2019, a barge and tug had slammed into the DHB, rendering it inoperable for a few days. One month after, the owner was charged with a bill of $100 million for the damage incurred. The impact was recorded on the southern side of the Harbour Bridge just after midnight, thus shifting the spans which connect the structure and causing a shutdown in vehicular traffic.
