MV Ma Lisha Departs for Mabaruma After 14-Hour Delay, Passengers Wait Overnight

Passengers travelling on the MV Ma Lisha spent the night at Georgetown's Kingston Goods Wharf after the ferry departed about 14 hours late, with many complaining about poor communication and the lack of official updates.

5th of August 2026

Guyana: Passengers travelling on the MV Ma Lisha had to wait overnight after the ferry left Georgetown for Mabaruma about 14 hours behind schedule. The vessel was scheduled to leave the Kingston Goods Wharf at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 4, but it departed at around 5:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 5. No official reason behind the delay has been given yet.

As per reports, many passengers arrived at the wharf around 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday in order to complete ticketing and load cargo. Some said that they had to wait 20 hours before the ferry finally left.

Passengers also said that they were not told why the ferry was delayed and were told to “be patient.” Some questioned why checks on the vessel were carried out after the passengers had already boarded instead of before.

Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and WIN Member of Parliament Tabitha Sarabo-Halley also visited the Kingston Goods Wharf on Tuesday night because of the delay. During the livestreams from the scene, passengers complained about the long wait and said that they were receiving little information about what was happening.

Meanwhile, an APNU Member of Parliament claimed during a livestream that the captain had refused to sail because the ferry was operating with only one engine. However, the claim has not been independently verified. The Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) and the Ministry of Public Works have also not confirmed it or explained what caused the delay.

The MV Ma Lisha eventually left the Kingston Goods Wharf at around 5:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 5, about 14 hours after its scheduled departure. Up to the time of publication, there was no official statement explaining why the ferry was delayed.

The MV Ma Lisha is a passenger and cargo ferry that operates between Georgetown and Kumaka in Region One. It was commissioned in 2023 and can carry up to 294 people, including crew, along with cargo and vehicles.

The incident comes weeks after the MV Barima tragedy, which claimed dozens of lives after the ferry sank off the Guyana coast. While the two incidents are not linked, the delay is likely to raise more questions about Guyana's ferry services, especially after passengers complained about the lack of information during the wait.