HGP Nightly News – Government officials could not provide a complete account of the MV Barima’s cargo during Tuesday’s press briefing, leaving unanswered questions about what the ferry carried, where the weight was placed and whether heavy machinery was loaded onto its upper deck.
Despite those uncertainties, officials maintained that the vessel was not overloaded when it departed. They said questions about weight distribution and loading practices would be examined by the Commission of Inquiry into the tragedy.
Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips was asked whether any government official had authorised the reported loading of heavy machinery onto the ferry. He said no such information had reached him.
Phillips urged anyone possessing evidence about the vessel’s cargo to submit it to the inquiry.
Public Works Minister Juan Edghill similarly said he was unaware of reports that an engine or generator had been placed aboard shortly before the MV Barima left the Kingston wharf.
He confirmed, however, that the Ministry of Public Works had cargo on the ferry, including fuel and all-terrain vehicles. Edghill could not immediately provide a complete inventory or say exactly what government property was lost when the vessel capsized.
The absence of a definitive cargo list has become more troubling in light of the irregularities already uncovered in the passenger manifest. Authorities previously acknowledged that numerous rescued passengers were not listed, making it difficult to determine how many people were actually aboard.
Officials have since ordered the cargo records to be reviewed, but Tuesday’s briefing offered no final reconciliation between the manifest and what was physically loaded onto the ferry.
Questions also persisted over the MV Barima’s passenger capacity.
Earlier public statements appeared to suggest that the ferry was licensed to carry considerably fewer passengers than the figure presented at Tuesday’s briefing. Maritime officials said the vessel’s certified capacity was 394 passengers and 126 tonnes of cargo, depending on its loading conditions.
Edghill explained that the number of people typically carried along the Northwest route was substantially lower because passengers often used seating areas to store personal belongings and supplies.
That explanation may account for the ferry’s usual operating numbers, but it does not resolve the conflicting capacity figures previously placed in the public domain.
Government officials insisted that the MV Barima remained within its permitted load line when it departed. A vessel can, however, remain below its overall weight limit and still face stability risks if cargo is poorly secured or unevenly distributed—particularly if substantial weight is placed higher on the vessel.
Officials did not conclude that cargo placement caused the capsizing. They acknowledged, though, that weight distribution, loading procedures and other operational factors must form part of the investigation.
The Commission of Inquiry is expected to determine what cargo was aboard, whether every item was properly recorded, how the load was distributed and secured, and who authorised the vessel to sail.
Until those questions are answered, the government’s assurance that the ferry was not overloaded addresses only part of the problem. The public still does not have a verified account of what the MV Barima was carrying when it went down.
