The Vreed-en-Hoop Shore Base Inc. (VESHI) has issued an Expression of Interest (EOI) for local service providers to deliver 91 essential services to support its operations. These services encompass a wide range of critical functions, including transportation and logistics, housing, maintenance and repairs, IT services, and many others.
VESHI, a joint venture between NRG Holdings Inc and Jan De Nul Group, aims to establish the Vreed-en-Hoop Shore Base as Guyana’s premier modern, deep-water, multi-purpose port. NRG Holdings Inc, a Guyanese consortium consisting of locally owned businesses such as Hadi’s World Incorporated, National Hardware Guyana Limited, and ZRN Investments Incorporated, partnered with Jan De Nul Group, an international maritime infrastructure company headquartered in Luxembourg to develop a state-of-the-art shore base facility in the Foreshore Plantation, West Bank Demerara.
It has been noted that the construction of Port Vreed-en-Hoop holds immense economic potential for the local community and the entire nation of Guyana and currently, round-the-clock construction activities are underway on the man-made island, intending to deliver a fully operational shore base to ExxonMobil Guyana, the operator of Guyana’s esteemed Stabroek Block, by December 2023.
The most recent update received on the works being executed was given by the Director of VESHI, Nicholas Deygoo-Boyer who in his presentation at the International Energy Conference in February, confirmed that the first phase, spanning 10 acres, remains on schedule for completion and operation by December 2023. In addition, an extra 10 acres are planned to be ready by July 2024, with the remainder slated for completion by December 2024.
With the provisions for expansion, Boyer highlighted that VEHSI has the potential to support other shore base developments, thus eliminating the reliance on foreign bases for operations in Guyana.
VEHSI’s overarching vision is to provide Guyana with deep maritime accessibility and the added advantage of reduced shipping costs, potentially amounting to savings of up to 12%.
The project involves the transformation of reclaimed land into a sprawling 44-acre mega-project, forming an integral part of the future Port of Vreed-en-Hoop. The long-term vision encompasses the realization of a fully developed Port of Vreed-en-Hoop, boasting an expansive 800 acres of port facilities.
VESHI’s recently published EOI conforms with the 2021 Local Content Act, which outlines 40 sectors and sub-sectors that prioritize the involvement of Guyanese businesses.
