T&HD vessels are in disrepair because they haven't been maintained

What this source establishes

In a letter to Stabroek News published ten years and nine months before the sinking, Captain R E W Adams, a former GDF Maritime Command officer, writes that T&HD vessels including the MV Barima are in disrepair from absent ship husbandry and missed dry-docking, and that in the Caribbean region vessels in that state would be prevented from going to sea or relegated to the scrapyard. He argues age is not the cause: 'regardless of their age they could have been in much better shape.' He quotes a Kaieteur News report of 19 September 2015 describing the Barima's deck, winch and generator area as 'a mass of junk and rust'.

Key claims

• Argues age is not the cause: 'regardless of their age they could have been in much better shape'
• Sets out the applicable regime: dry dock twice in five years; survey interval not to exceed three years; special survey every five years; mandatory annual survey by a qualified surveyor
• Quotes a Kaieteur News report of 19 September 2015 describing the MV Barima's deck, winch and generator area as 'a mass of junk and rust'
• States routine maintenance aboard T&HD vessels 'is a thing of the past'
• Also warns the two Chinese-built Parika-Supenaam ferries show no evidence of any maintenance programme
• Recorded 2015 government plans to charter a North West District vessel and build two vessels in India

Quotations

• “In other words, regardless of their age they could have been in much better shape.”
• “Routine maintenance aboard Transport and Harbours Department vessels is a thing of the past.”
• “The MV Barima revealed significant disrepair. The deck, winch and generator area of the vessel was a mass of junk and rust.”
• “In the Caribbean region vessels in this state are prevented from going to sea, in fact they would have been relegated to the scrapyard.”

Prior warnings recorded

• Captain R E W Adams (former Guyana Defence Force Maritime Command officer), Stabroek News letters column, 2 October 2015 — warned that T&HD vessels including the MV Barima specifically were in a state of disrepair caused by absent routine ship husbandry and missed scheduled dry-docking, and stated that in the wider Caribbean vessels in that condition 'are prevented from going to sea, in fact they would have been relegated to the scrapyard.' Also warned that the two Chinese-built Parika-Supenaam ferries showed no evidence of any maintenance programme. Published 10 years and 9 months before the MV Barima capsized.

Vessel facts recorded

• fact: Quotes a Kaieteur News report of 19 September 2015: 'The MV Barima revealed significant disrepair. The deck, winch and generator area of the vessel was a mass of junk and rust.'
• source: https://www.stabroeknews.com/2015/10/02/opinion/letters/thd-vessels-are-in-disrepair-because-they-havent-been-maintained/
• fact: States some T&HD vessels were 'constructed more than sixty years ago in the United Kingdom' (as of 2015)
• source: https://www.stabroeknews.com/2015/10/02/opinion/letters/thd-vessels-are-in-disrepair-because-they-havent-been-maintained/
• fact: Sets out the survey/docking convention: vessels dry docked twice in a five-year period; interval between subsequent surveys not to exceed three years; special surveys once every five years; annual survey by a qualified surveyor mandatory
• source: https://www.stabroeknews.com/2015/10/02/opinion/letters/thd-vessels-are-in-disrepair-because-they-havent-been-maintained/
• fact: Notes government plans in 2015 to charter a vessel for the North West District service and build two vessels in India
• source: https://www.stabroeknews.com/2015/10/02/opinion/letters/thd-vessels-are-in-disrepair-because-they-havent-been-maintained/

This page is a research summary prepared for comment and review. It is not the article. Copyright in the original remains with Stabroek News; the full text is held only in the private research corpus from which this archive was compiled. Follow the link above to read it at the source.