Guyana’s Iconic River Ferries

In older Guyana, the river was not a boundary. It was the road that held the country

together, and the great ferries that crossed it became part of everyday memory.

Among them, three vessels came to define an era of movement, labor,

and connection: the MV Malali, the MV Makouria, and the MV Torani. The MV Malali was

known across the country as the “Big Boat.” Its name carried weight, and so did its presence.

Though it served the Essequibo River, it was named after a location on the Demerara River,

a reminder of how Guyana’s waterways and identities overlap. For decades, the Malali primarily

served the Parika to Adventure route, now known as Supenaam, forming the most important link between