everything you need to know about the giant cisterns that cross the town of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni

In the main avenues of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, residents have been witnessing impressive convoys since December: giant tanks, measuring 21 meters long, 2.85 meters wide and 3 meters high, weighing 35 tons each. This massive equipment, transported by trucks under escort of the national gendarmerie, are key elements for the future Centrale Electrique de l’Ouest Guyanais (CEOG).

The CEOG, presented as a major innovation, will use solar energy to produce hydrogen which will then be stored in these tanks before being converted into electricity overnight. In total, 26 tanks will be necessary to ensure this buffer storage. Currently, 12 tanks are already installed on the plant site, located in Prospérité, while 13 others are in transit.

Camon Jean-Charles, head of the exceptional transport sector of the company TSE (Transport, Service, Organisation), explains the logistical complexity of these convoys.

These tanks are so imposing that they require the use of an extendable semi-trailer to accommodate their 21 meters in length. With a total weight of almost 70 tonnes, well beyond the 44 tonnes authorized by road regulations, we have obtained a prefectural decree to allow their transport in complete safety.

The road assembly, consisting of a tractor and a suitable trailer, is carefully calibrated to distribute the loads and guarantee stability on the road. “Each step, from loading to transport, is carefully planned to avoid any incident, and we use the gendarmerie escort to secure the journey”specifies Camon Jean-Charles.

The transport of these tanks requires impressive logistical resources. According to Thierry Robert, operations manager at the West Port,

Each tank requires approximately 30 to 45 minutes to be loaded, secured, and ready to reach the power plant

The tanks have been arriving by boat since the beginning of December, via ships to Roibeoperated by the shipping company Caribbean Line Soreidom.

These extraordinary convoys arouse the interest and curiosity of the inhabitants.

It is important that people know what they see passing in the streets: these are the components of a revolutionary project for Guyana

explains Henri Hausermann, Managing Director of CEOG.

For the curious, it is possible to observe the tanks on public roads, particularly during transport or at the West Port, where they are temporarily stored before being transported.

With this project, CEOG hopes to meet the region's growing energy needs while reducing its carbon footprint, thanks to technology combining solar and hydrogen.