According to presidential adviser Faizel Baarn, the current vessel can technically continue operating until 2027, but after that, its limits will have been reached. Economically, he says, Canawaima has already reached the end of its useful life.

“Technically, it will be finished by 2027. Economically, it is already finished,” Baarn said. This raises questions not only about maintaining the existing ferry, but also about how Suriname intends to organize the important connection with Guyana in the coming years. The Canawaima transports passengers and goods between the two countries on a daily basis, making it an important link for cross-border traffic. With expected developments in the oil and gas sector, traffic between Suriname and Guyana could increase further, according to Baarn.

That outlook makes it unwise, in his view, to continue investing exclusively in a vessel that is approaching the end of its technical lifespan. “Perhaps we should move toward having two vessels,” he suggested. However, according to Baarn, a final decision can only be made after an assessment of the financial feasibility.

The discussion therefore also focuses on the ferry service’s revenue model. A second vessel would not only provide additional transport capacity, but would also bring higher costs for personnel, fuel, maintenance and operations. “You need to have a certain revenue model,” Baarn emphasized. The connection is of great importance to both countries, he said, but ultimately the figures must show what is financially responsible.

President-Commissioner Naraindeth Seopershad also believes there is a need to look beyond the current Canawaima. According to him, a new vessel should be sought to secure the service over the longer term. He points not only to regular cross-border traffic, but also to tourism. According to Seopershad, many tourists travel between Suriname and Guyana via this route.

The recent safety problems have added urgency to the discussion. Inspections by the Maritime Authority Suriname (MAS) identified deficiencies in areas including fire safety, evacuation facilities, radar equipment and technical systems. As a result, the Canawaima was temporarily taken out of service on August 22. The connection resumed operations on August 28, but only under certain conditions. The current authorization runs until September 28, after which a new inspection could determine whether the service can continue.

For Seopershad, the incident is also an opportunity to review the organization as a whole. He is calling for a restructuring of the Canawaima organization. Not only the vessel itself, but also its management and the way maintenance issues and inspection findings are followed up must be addressed, he argues.

The vessel’s maintenance history underscores the need for such action. The Canawaima last went into dry dock in 2021. According to the maintenance schedule, this should have happened again in 2023. Although Seopershad says there were MAS reports concerning the matter, he says he only became aware of them recently.

The government therefore faces a dual challenge. In the short term, it must ensure the safety of the current Canawaima. In the longer term, it must decide on replacing the vessel and possibly expanding the service to two vessels.