GAICO mulls building 2nd wharf facility to support gas-to-energy project

After successfully commissioning its first marine facility at the Nismes foreshore, West Bank Demerara (WBD), which includes a wharf platform, GAICO Construction and General Services has disclosed that it is mulling plans to build a second wharf in Region Three.

According to GAICO’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Komal Singh, who is also the Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), the second wharf is part of mechanisms being put in place to boost the company’s capability to further support the Guyana Government’s Gas-to-Energy project.
This project, which is being constructed at Wales, West Bank Demerara, includes a 300MW power plant and a Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) facility that would utilise natural gas that will be piped from the Liza field in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana.
With this in mind, Singh, who was at the time speaking during a recently televised programme, said the second wharf would be located near the GtE project.
“Almost all the work that was designated for the pipeline project on the GtE (Gas to Energy) project, all of that activity went through that facility. So, it was very strategic for us to have that facility during the time of need when that development project started. We are currently looking to develop a second war of development on the region three area,” Singh said.
“Yeah, we’re at Nismes and we’re currently doing another facility close to the gas to energy site also. That’s where we’re developing also a fertiliser blended plant. By the first half of next year, that plant should be up and running also,” he added.
The GAICO CEO said these private investments are geared towards positioning the company to benefit from the economic transformation of Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) while supporting Government’s development agenda for Guyana.
“Because of all of the development that is projected to take place in region three, um you need to stay ahead of the game to be able to put infrastructure in place. So, when that gas to energy project come on stream, with the reduction of 50 per cent on the power generation costs, we are projected to see a significant improvement and increase in the manufacturing sector. As such, it is very critical for us in the private sector to make sure that we stay ahead of the game and put the requisite infrastructure in place so as to allow the development in the manufacturing sector to have a smooth transition in a year or two to come,” GAICO CEO explained.
GAICO invested a whooping US$30 million for the construction of the marine facility at the Nismes, which include a wharf, dry dock, and laydown yard where construction materials will be stored. It is intended to supplement the region’s development, including the GtE project at Wales.
The project was due in 2019, but permitting hiccups were faced. However, in 2020, GAICO got the all-clear and set ahead with its plan.
At the commissioning ceremony in January, President Dr Irfaan Ali pointed out that the project has created immense opportunities for not only business development in Region Three but also the enhancement of local capacity as well.
“So, the value creation that Komal [Singh, Chief Executive Officer of GAICO] has made here is enormous. Because if you hear the number of young people who are trained here; the number of truck operators, mechanics; let me frankly say that if we did not have this development, our pace of development in Region Three would be curtailed by 25 per cent at least; because we did not have an offloading facility for sand and for all the pipes for the Gas-to-Energy project,” he noted. (G1)