During a visit to Ghana's largest port, President John Dramani Mahama officially began the expansion works at Tema, according to Joyonline.
A joint venture between Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority and Meridian Ports Holdings, which itself is a joint venture between APM Terminals and Bolloré Transport & Logistics, will see the port gain four new berths along 1.4km of quayside.
This new infrastructure, along with cranes and TOS upgrades will see Tema able to handle mega-ships carrying up to 18,000 TEUs, improving the overall handling capacity of the port fourfold.
At a ceremony to mark the beginning of works, President John Mahama said “Government’s decision has been to position the ports of Ghana as a trade and investment gateway to the West African sub-region. The overall economic impact of this project will translate into 400,000 jobs along the logistics chain. The investment being made would change the dynamics of the country’s maritime industry over the next 100 years.”
Richard Anamoo, Director General of the Tema Port, said: “GPHA appreciates the harbour expansion project as an important step in achieving the dream of being a regional leader in the maritime industry. We recognise the collaboration of our partners and are grateful for their support.”
When PTI reported that preliminary work had begun on expansion last month, it was announced AECOM and the China Harbour Engineering Company would lead construction, with completion expected in Q4 2019.
Mohamed Samara, Chief Executive Officer of Meridian Port Services said, “We have selected top contractors and consultants for this project and will be placing a strong emphasis on local content. By the time it is finished, this sea port will be a world class port that could match the capacity of world renowned ports and compete most favourably with the largest ports on this continent.”
