On a recent Sunday night, Guyana’s Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill made an announcement that has disrupted cross-border travel and trade between Guyana and Suriname: the Maritime Authority of Suriname (MAS) has ordered an immediate suspension of operations for the MV Canawaima, the vital ferry that moves passengers, commercial cargo and private vehicles across the Corentyne River, the shared water boundary between the two South American nations. Edghill emphasized that MAS’s order runs directly counter to the shared assessment of technical maritime experts from both Guyana and Suriname, who unanimously concluded the vessel was safe to continue regular operations for an additional three months, until its already scheduled full maintenance and retrofitting in drydock.
The suspension has already had immediate real-world consequences: starting Friday, hundreds of passengers have been left stranded at the two primary ferry terminals, South Drain in Nickerie, Suriname, and Moleson Creek in Springlands, Guyana. There is currently no firm timeline for when service can resume, with the halt remaining in place until all technical concerns raised by MAS are fully addressed.
In a full official statement released by the Canawaima Ferry Service, the management outlined the sequence of events that led to the suspension. In the days preceding the order, two independent technical inspections were conducted by qualified maritime specialists from both neighboring countries. The joint inspection report, submitted in formal writing to MAS, confirmed the MV Canawaima met all operational safety standards, and the flagged issues cited by Suriname authorities did not require immediate emergency repairs and could be resolved during the already planned drydocking three months later.
Notably, the statement also clarified an important administrative detail: the legal and financial responsibility for all routine maintenance, repairs and drydocking of the MV Canawaima falls under the jurisdiction of the Suriname government, not Guyana. Despite the disagreement over the suspension order, the governing boards from both Guyana and Suriname have confirmed they maintain open, constant communication and are collaborating closely to resolve the outstanding issues and restore cross-border service as rapidly as possible.
The ferry service acknowledged the widespread disruption the sudden halt has caused to local communities, cross-border businesses, and travelers, many of whom rely on the service for daily commuting, family visits, and commercial trade. Management apologized sincerely for the inconvenience and thanked the public for their patience as teams work to resolve the impasse and resume normal operations.