The Government of Guyana is now weighing its options for the recovery of the sunken MV Barima, with the deadline for marine salvage companies to submit Expressions of Interest passing on Friday, August 14, 2026.
Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips said the Government must first assess the bids before deciding which company will be invited to undertake the operation, followed by negotiations on the final contract.
“Then you have to go through the bids, do the evaluation, and then determine who will get the contract,” Phillips said at a press conference held at his office on Friday.
He said the selection process would not end with the evaluation, noting that negotiations with the preferred contractor would follow.
“So, it’s a process that has started, and the process is ongoing to this finality,” he added.
The Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) launched the process as authorities moved to the next phase following the conclusion of the search, rescue and recovery operation for victims of the July 18 sinking.
The government-owned and operated ferry went down in the Atlantic Ocean while travelling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma in Region One (Barima-Waini).
The disaster claimed 73 lives, while 76 people were rescued. Thirty others remain missing.
The number of people aboard the vessel also emerged as a major issue following the sinking.
Although 133 passengers were recorded on the manifest, authorities later determined that approximately 179 people, including crew members, were aboard.
The 87-year-old ferry now lies on its side in soft mud approximately 15 metres below the surface and about 28 nautical miles north of Guyana’s coast. It measures approximately 38.6 metres in length and has an 8.9-metre beam.
The conditions at the wreck site are expected to make the salvage operation technically challenging. Authorities have reported strong currents and poor visibility, while underwater teams encountered difficult conditions during the earlier recovery effort.
MARAD is therefore seeking a contractor with demonstrated experience in complex marine salvage operations, particularly in Guyana or the wider Caribbean.
Companies were required to outline their technical approach, previous salvage experience, equipment and personnel, as well as their plans for environmental protection, safety, insurance and the timeline for the operation.
An important requirement is the preservation of evidence.
The eventual contractor must detail how material recovered from the wreck will be identified, documented and safeguarded for potential use by the international Commission of Inquiry (CoI) investigating the disaster.
The company must also be capable of recovering the ferry and keeping it upright on a barge for several weeks.
The salvage effort is being pursued alongside separate investigations into the circumstances surrounding the sinking.
With families of those still missing continuing to call for the MV Barima to be raised, attention now turns to the evaluation of the salvage bids.
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, SC, has disclosed that the estimated cost of salvaging the sunken MV Barima could range between US$8 million and US$10 million.
