Latest update May 13th, 2024 12:59 AM
Dec 11, 2017 News
By: Kiana Wilburg
The Guyana National Industrial Company Incorporated (GNIC) has been quietly making a significant contribution to the Guyanese Maritime/Logistics Services and Manufacturing Sectors.
This is according to GNIC’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Clinton Williams.
The GNIC CEO said that over the years, the entity has been celebrated for its unmatched capacity to build and repair ocean-going and riverine vessels which include coastal trawlers, cargo boats, tugs, passenger ferries, pilot launches, and deck and towing barges.
These are only some of the multitude of marine vessels built and repaired with the well tested skills of GNIC’s Technicians and Engineers.
SECURITY SECTOR
Williams noted that the current Dual Purpose Prison Launch ML TROY ‘W’ (as was the previous vessel ML Godfrey ‘J’) was designed and fabricated by GNIC for the Guyana Prison Service Authority in record time within international specifications/standards for less than 50 percent the price for such a vessel in the international market.
The construction of the ML Troy Passenger Cargo Vessel for the Guyana Prison Service, commenced in May, last and was handed over to the Guyana Prison Service on Saturday last. The Twin Screw Passenger- Cargo Vessel has been designed for harbor and riverine service in Guyana.
It has accommodation for 80 passengers above the Main Deck as well as 60 ton cargo space below main deck, forward of the engine room. It contains three watertight bulkheads which divides the hull in four compartments. The vessel was designed with a free running speed to not less than minimum 12 knots. It was be fitted with two Perkins Diesel Engines developing about 500HP.
Additionally, the vessel is steel welded in construction and is of ABS Classification Standard. There was a transverse framing throughout, spacing and Engine Room according to design as well as transverse watertight bulkheads continuous from keel to deck to form forepeak, cargo hold, engine room and steering gear compartment. There was also the design and fitting of two rudders to give maximum steering efficiency for a vessel of this type. This project is the second that GNIC has completed for the Guyana Prison Service in an effort to improve their security services.
The previous vessel, ML Godfrey ‘J’, has been working for close to 17 years. It was constructed from June 2001 to October 2001. It was valued at $23.1M.
MANUFACTURING/AGRI. SECTOR
According to Williams, GNIC had earlier fabricated and assembled three 1500 tons of Cement Bulk Storage Silos for TCL Guyana Inc which was only recently refurbished also by GNIC at the request of TCL this year.
As for the agriculture sector, Williams said that GNIC recently fabricated and assembled the Stainless Steel Sluice being utilised for irrigation and flood control purposes for the East Demerara Water Conservancy.
He said that during last year, GNIC fabricated and delivered a new batch of four pontoons for the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (East Demerara Water Conservancy). They are being utilised by the Ministry of Agriculture under the World Bank Funded Flood Control Programme.
“We are in the process of constructing a barge (96Ft x 26Ft) and supplying two excavators together with a suction cutter dredge to dredge all the outfalls along the coastline and the rivers.”
For agriculture and sugar in particular, Williams said that a number of punts have been manufactured and delivered to GuySuCo, repairs and maintenance to GuySuCo Pontoons have also been done along with works on molasses storage tanks and fishing trawlers.
MARITIME/MINING/ ENERGY
As regards Maritime Transportation Sector, significant input has been made with respect to dry-docking, ship repairs and maintenance to government ferries, The Suction Hopper Dredge Steve ‘N’, Pilot Launches, GDF patrol craft and Demerara Harbour Bridge Pontoons, etc.
For the mining and quarrying sector, the GNIC CEO said that there has been the provision of tugs and barges for inland transportation and logistics, apart from offloading, storage and delivery of bulk, break bulk and containerised cargo, allowing for efficient project execution and production operation thereafter such as Guyana Goldfields.
In energy, he revealed that GNIC was responsible for the design and fabrication of Fuel Storage Tanks for Guyoil and other sectors as well.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Williams noted that Technical and Vocational Skill Development and Training in partnership with the Board of Industrial Training where skill sets were generated in the areas of welding and fabrication, electrical installation, fitting and machining is part of the company’s contribution to poverty alleviation and the empowerment of vulnerable youths, such as school drop-outs and those from depressed communities.
“This is quite apart and distinct from cargo handling, stevedoring and storage for import and export cargo as agency representative for various International Shipping Lines.”
“With respect to the way forward, we are continuously engaging a number of vendors and service providers in the Oil and Gas Sector with a view to expand our services by Logistics and Storage for Pipes, other repairs and maintenance, on-shore facility for Supply Crafts between the Oil Rigs and the Land Base Operations.”
Williams said that GNIC believes that the movement in this direction will prove to be beneficial not only by expanding the company’s contribution to national development, but also by providing increased employment through a new range of services for these Sectors.
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