The MV Barima was operating within its scheduled maintenance programme and had not been declared unseaworthy before its fatal voyage, contrary to claims circulating on social media.

Public Works Minister Bishop Juan Edghill made the clarification during a Sunday night press briefing, addressing what he described as misinformation surrounding the vessel's condition in the aftermath of Saturday's tragedy.

Edghill said the MV Barima was last dry docked in 2024 and was due to undergo its next scheduled dry docking during the latter half of 2026, alongside the MV Malali and MV Makouria, in keeping with routine maintenance requirements.

He said documents being circulated online suggesting the vessel had been deemed unfit for service were being misrepresented. The documents referenced were standard bills of quantities prepared ahead of scheduled maintenance work and did not indicate the vessel had failed any seaworthiness assessment, he said.

"The bill of quantities, there was no report of any kind that suggests unworthiness of the vessel," Edghill said, noting that such documents outline anticipated repairs, inspections of the hull, underwater works and other improvements routinely carried out during dry docking.

He stressed that preparing bills of quantities before vessels enter dry dock is standard practice and should not be interpreted as evidence a vessel is unsafe to operate.

The clarification comes as the government has launched a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the MV Barima disaster, which will examine the vessel's operations, passenger manifest, cargo loading, compliance with maritime safety regulations and the actions of the captain and crew.