Tema port’s Meridian Port Services Ltd (MPS) container terminal in Ghana has successfully completed operations of the second phase at the fourth new berth of the Tema Port Expansion Project.
Speaking at the event to commission the fourth new berth, the CEO of MPS, Mohamed Samara said that, among other container handling equipment, an additional 16 cranes, three ship-to-shore (STS) and 13 electrified rubber-tired gantry cranes (eRTG) were on order to meet growing container traffic demands, describing that the completion of works for the new berth is not the end of the Tema Port Expansion.
He noted that the capacity has been doubled since starting operations in Terminal 3, and he went on to point out that the vision for the Tema Port is to become the first port-of-call and a transshipment hub for West Africa.
“Since our establishment, we have carried along the values of safety, security, health, environment, and welfare of human resource,” said Samara and added that this has not only driven gateway cargo market growth in Ghana but also driven the increase of transit and transhipment trade.
“We have secured intercontinental transhipment volumes connecting the Far-East trade routes with the East Coast of the Americas and also southern African trade with Europe,” he pointed out.
MPS is a joint venture between Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) (30%), APM Terminals (35%) and Bolloré Transport and Logistics (35%).
The Director General for the Port Authority, Michael Luguje commented, “As a landlord and shareholder of MPS, we will continue to provide an enabling environment for container business to thrive, for Ghana’s ports to be the most efficient, most attractive and most secure.”
The MPS terminal constitutes an interplay infrastructure providing an important platform for import and export transactions and enhancing Ghana’s trading links with the rest of the world, according to an announcement.
The Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Hon. Michael Okyere Baafi explained the benefits from this expansion project, saying “The development of an efficient and integrated multi-modal infrastructure plays a critical role in reducing trade costs and enhancing competitiveness to promote intra- regional trade and is therefore critical for the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.”
He also added that the security of the ports is a priority for GPHA, which is working with Ghana’s security agencies to enhance maritime security.
Furthermore, the Deputy Minister of Transport, Hon. Frederick Obeng Adom stated that “all these projects are part of efforts by the government to upgrade the transport infrastructure to achieve the needed synergies and efficiency of our transport logistics value chain.”
In addition, the French Ambassador to Ghana H.E. Ann-Sophie Ave explained that the fourth new berth was necessary at this stage to attract more foreign investment. “Having a facility that enables the swift turnaround of vessels in a record time brings a huge added value, saving cost which is attracting trade and creating opportunities for diverse sectors of the economy and international commerce,” she noted.
The Port of Tema remains Ghana’s largest and busiest port serving not only the nation but also acts as a transit point for many landlocked countries to Ghana’s north.
