MV Torani and MV Malali were built by Sprostons in then British Guiana

What this source establishes

In a letter to Stabroek News, Captain R E W Adams corrects the public record on the provenance of three T&HD river ferries, stating that only the Makouria was UK-built, at Ferguson's Port Glasgow yard in 1959, while the Torani and Malali were built domestically by Sprostons Ltd in British Guiana, with keels laid in 1958 and 1961. He writes that the Torani was built using the Makouria's drawings and handed to the T&HD in October 1960, and that the Malali's superstructure was altered for a live-aboard crew.

Key claims

• MV Makouria: Ferguson Shipbuilders Yard No 428, Port Glasgow, 1959; launched 23 July 1959 and towed to Guyana
• MV Torani: built by Sprostons Ltd, keel laid 31 July 1958 using Makouria's drawings; handed to T&HD October 1960
• MV Malali: built by Sprostons Ltd in British Guiana, keel laid 31 May 1961, superstructure altered for a live-aboard crew
• Establishes the Ferguson yard supplied the T&HD across two decades (Barima 1939, Makouria 1959)

Quotations

• “Only MV Makouria of the three vessels in question was constructed in the United Kingdom.”
• “MV Malali was not constructed in the United Kingdom, but in Guyana (BG) by Messrs Sprostons Ltd”

Prior warnings recorded

• None (provenance letter). Note: the same author, Captain R E W Adams, published an explicit warning about T&HD vessel condition in Stabroek News on 2 October 2015 — see 2015-10-02_stabroek-news_thd-vessels-are-in-disrepair-because-they-havent-been-maintained.md

Vessel facts recorded

• fact: MV Makouria was constructed by Ferguson Shipbuilders, Yard No 428, Port Glasgow, in 1959; launched 23 July 1959 and towed to Guyana (BG)
• source: https://www.stabroeknews.com/2012/01/26/opinion/letters/mv-torani-and-mv-malali-were-built-by-sprostons-in-then-british-guiana/
• fact: MV Torani was constructed by Messrs Sprostons Ltd in British Guiana; keel laid 31 July 1958, using the drawings of the Makouria; handed over to the Transport & Harbours Department in October 1960
• source: https://www.stabroeknews.com/2012/01/26/opinion/letters/mv-torani-and-mv-malali-were-built-by-sprostons-in-then-british-guiana/
• fact: MV Malali was constructed in Guyana (BG) by Messrs Sprostons Ltd using the drawings of the previous vessels, with alterations to the superstructure to accommodate a live-aboard crew; keel laid 31 May 1961
• source: https://www.stabroeknews.com/2012/01/26/opinion/letters/mv-torani-and-mv-malali-were-built-by-sprostons-in-then-british-guiana/

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