The Suriname-Guyana Chamber of Commerce (SGCC) is closely monitoring the temporary suspension of the MV Canawaima ferry service and is particularly concerned about the impact on passengers, transport operators, businesses and the movement of goods between Guyana and Suriname.
The safety of passengers and crew must remain paramount. SGCC recognises and respects the responsibility of the relevant maritime authorities to exercise the necessary caution in determining the seaworthiness and safe operation of the vessel. A reliable cross-border service must, first and foremost, be a safe one.
The Chamber has also taken note of the clarification provided by Guyana’s Minister of Public Works, the Honorable Bishop Juan Edghill, that recent technical inspections involving maritime experts from both Suriname and Guyana concluded that the vessel could remain in operation pending dry-docking within the next three months, while the Maritime Authority Suriname (MAS) has determined that certain outstanding matters should instead be addressed immediately. SGCC further notes the Suriname Nieuws Centrale report that the 21 August 2026 assessment by Marine Consulting & Survey identified significant corrosion requiring further examination and remedial works, while finding no leakage and determining the vessel could remain in operation for three months pending dry-docking; the assessment also identified outstanding documentation and certification requirements, with further thickness measurements and repair works scheduled from 24 August.
Given the importance of maintaining public confidence in the safety and integrity of the service, SGCC encourages the relevant authorities to provide greater clarity on the outstanding requirements identified by MAS, the findings of the subsequent technical evaluations, and the works now considered necessary for the vessel’s safe return to operation. Transparency around these matters would help the travelling public and business community better understand both the decision taken and the pathway toward resumption of service.
The Canawaima Ferry Service Inc. was incorporated in Guyana, and the Canawaima Management Company N.V, a wholly owned subsidiary was incorporated in Suriname; The Canawaima Management Company N.V in turn wholly owned two (2) subsidiaries – Transport and Harbours Department Inc. which was incorporated in Guyana and Scheepvaart Maatschappij Suriname (SMS NV) which was incorporated in Suriname. According to a 2026 publication by NCN., which references the Suriname-Guyana Joint Venture Agreement on the ferry management: “Guyana supplies ALL fuels, lubricants and batteries to facilitate the daily operation of the ferry while Suriname takes care of the maintenance and dry docking of the vessel.”
Providing support and guidance to the passengers and transport operators currently stranded on both sides of the Corentyne River should be our current focus. Many travelled with the reasonable expectation that the service was operational and now face unplanned expenditure for accommodation, transportation, fuel and other necessities, with no certainty as to how long the disruption may continue. SGCC respectfully urges the responsible authorities and operators to give priority to these affected persons by communicating what immediate assistance or alternative arrangements can be made available, particularly for passengers who may not have the resources to sustain an extended and unforeseen delay.
Additionally, there is an urgent need for a clear and coordinated way forward for the ferry service. SGCC would therefore welcome an update from the relevant authorities in both countries on the anticipated timeframe for the required works and return of the MV Canawaima to service; whether the present intervention will affect or accelerate the vessel’s planned dry-docking and maintenance; and, critically, what safe interim arrangements may be considered to preserve cross-border connectivity while the MV Canawaima is unavailable. In this regard, SGCC respectfully requests clarification on when a replacement vessel will be deployed, and considers the present disruption to further underscore the need for a dedicated, appropriately inspected secondary vessel – and, ultimately, investment in a new vessel, to provide the redundancy that such a critical bilateral transportation link requires.
The Canawaima remains far more than a transportation service. It is an essential economic and social link connecting our two countries and facilitating trade, tourism, investment and the crucial, daily movement of people and goods. Continuity, predictability and safety must therefore be considered together.
The present disruption also reinforces the importance of developing a sustainable, long-term solution for the Suriname-Guyana ferry connection. In February 2025, SGCC advanced a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) proposal for the Management of the Canawaima Ferry Service, aimed at supporting a more reliable, commercially sustainable and resilient model for this critical bilateral link, where the private sector is directly engaged. This proposal has been presented to both Governments; the Chamber remains prepared to engage constructively with the Governments of Suriname and Guyana, and relevant stakeholders on this proposal and other viable solutions that can strengthen the service over the long term.
SGCC acknowledges the ongoing engagement between the Suriname-Guyana authorities and remains confident that, through continued bilateral cooperation, the immediate situation can be addressed while safeguarding the standards necessary for the protection of the travelling public.
Our immediate priority must be the people currently affected; our shared objective must be the safe restoration of the service; and our longer-term responsibility must be ensuring that this vital connection between Guyana and Suriname is resilient, reliable and sustainable.
Referenced Sources:
The Ministry of Public Works, Co-operative Republic of Guyana: Canawaima Management Company The Ministry of Public Works, Co-operative Republic of Guyana: Status Update on the M.V. CANAWAIMA | August 23, 2026 Suriname Nieuws Centrale: Canawaima out of service: travelers stranded at Suriname-Guyana border | August 23, 2026
National Communications Network (NCN), Guyana: Guyana’s Statement on the Functions of the Jointly Operated CANAWAIMA Ferry Service | August 11, 2026
Suriname-Guyana Chamber of Commerce: Proposal for Public-Private Partnership in the Management of the Canawaima Ferry Service | February 2025
