This announcement was made on Monday by the Divisional Manager of GNIC Julian Archer during a visit by a Brazilian delegation, which was interested in the availability of container terminal and wharfing facilities in Linden.
According to Archer, the existing facility is only a quarter of the total length of the full design nonetheless operations would begin soon.
The existing structure includes a general office, security hut and maintenance shed. To date, only the security aspects of the terminal have been handed over to the management of GNIC and a complete handover is expected within another week or two.
The terminal was constructed under a joint arrangement between GNIC, the Linden Economic Advancement Programme (LEAP) and the Government of Guyana. According to Archer, the company is expected to start moving domestic cargo from Georgetown to Linden before the close of the fourth quarter of 2010. “We are currently looking at a roadway. It started but there was a bit of hiccup so we are negotiating continuation.
“That roadway is to facilitate access to the waterfront, where we are to construct a 200ft by 40ft wharf. The wharf is intended to take the combined weight of the cranes and the containers,” Archer explained.
In the interim, GNIC has entered an arrangement with OMAI/IAMGOLD to utilise its existing wharf at Christianburg Linden. Construction and extension of the existing facility will continue and will be timed to be completed to cater to the Brazil traffic, which is dependent on the road.
The expected increase in traffic would require the fixing of a number of bridges along the Linden/Lethem road and having a road that is long enough to handle the movement of well-laden container trucks. “We expect that this will happen within another year, year-and-a-half time,” said Archer, adding that they are prepared to handle any cargo that requires some amount of shipment between Georgetown, Linden, Lethem and Brazil. “Right now we are ready for the transportation between Georgetown and Linden,” assured Archer.
Of equal importance in the increase of traffic between the two countries is an adequate fuel supply. Present at the wharf at Christianburg during the visit by the Brazilians was the General Manager of Sol, Ken Figaro, who gave assurance that his company is prepared to do the necessary expansion to supply the market. He said Sol has two 25,000 barrel tanks which store supplies of diesel fuel for its main customer at Linden the Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc. (BOSAI). “What would be needed for this new market is motor gasoline and we are prepared to install gasoline tanks if and when the need arises,” said Figaro. Sol bought out Esso in 2007.
