First Lady Mrs Arya Ali has hailed the third oil ship that will operate in Guyanese waters by the end of the year, saying it will add to the “opportunities for individuals and businesses to grow.”
Mrs Ali was designated “godmother” and on Wednesday morning (Singapore time) and participated in the official naming ceremony for the Prosperity Floating Production, Storage and Offshore (FPSO) vessel.
“Today is an auspicious one in the life of this vessel.
“Today it receives its name, one reflective of the promise in store for the people of Guyana – Prosperity,” said Mrs Ali.
The official naming ceremony took place at the Keppel Offshore and Marine Shipyard from where it will soon begin sailing to Guyana. When installed, it will have the capacity to produce 220,000 barrels of oil per day and store up to two million barrels of crude.
“Our first FPSO sealed Guyana’s promising ‘Destiny’, the second called for our ‘Unity’, and now this third will move us forward on the path towards Prosperity,” stated Mrs Ali.
She said, “very importantly, this third vessel signals the potential for more local content growth – more opportunities for businesses and jobs for individuals.”
“As we have seen with the start-up of the Liza Unity in 2022, what this ultimately means is increased revenues for Guyana, which will go towards helping us achieve many of the goals outlined in our national development strategy, including access to quality medical treatment and education.
“For Guyana, this vessel offers another avenue to prosperity, an opportunity to build a future for our people, a future they deserve,” Mrs Ali stated.
She said the definition of prosperity “goes beyond wealth and encompasses the essence of being successful and thriving.”
“As we move forward, we are hopeful and optimistic that the state we find ourselves in echoes the name of this vessel, and that the people of Guyana thrive and succeed,” Mrs Ali declared.
It is her sincere hope that the name of this vessel will translate to prosperity for everyone involved in the responsible development of Guyana’s resources.
She acknowledged the people who worked on the vessel from design conception to completion, saying it was a manifestation of their commitment, pride and sacrifice.
Mrs Ali recognised that the work that was carried out during the challenges of the pandemic.
“What you have achieved will impact the people of Guyana in myriad ways,” Mrs Ali said to those who worked on the vessel.
The First Lady said collaborations have been critical to the success in the construction of the FPSO.
“Working with ExxonMobil, along with their co-venturers Hess and CNOOC, has provided Guyana with the means to boost our nation’s development, resulting in unprecedented economic growth even during the pandemic,” Mrs Ali stated.
She said the partnership between ExxonMobil and Guyana is one that has “undeniably borne fruit for all of us and our alignment on future projects will continue to do so.”
“The Prosperity is more than just a symbol of development though; she is a physical manifestation of the hard work and collaborative relationship between the people of Guyana and the collection of companies doing business in our oil and gas sector.
“This vessel strengthens that bond between us, creating another link to a brighter future for all involved.”