COCOBOD acquires reach stackers to help enhance port operations

Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has purchased three 45-tonner reach stackers (SMU 4535) to enhance its port’s operations.

A reach stacker is a vehicle used for handling intermodal cargo containers in small terminals or medium-sized ports. It is also able to transport a container short distances very quickly and pile them in various rows depending on its access.

Speaking at the handing over ceremony, the Deputy Chief Executive of COCOBOD in charge of Operations, Nana-Oduro Owusu was grateful to Pasico Ghana for their role in acquiring the reach stackers.

According to him, the acquisition of the machines is very critical to Cocoa Marketing Company (CMC) operations at the various ports considering the enormous challenges associated with cocoa shipment.

“Reach stacker is very important to our port operations. Annually such service was valued at around USD1.7million, now this money will come to the Board, since we will be rendering the services ourselves”, he stressed.

Nana-Oduro Owusu also charged operators of the machines to carry out routine servicing to increase the lifespan of the equipment’s and also use them for their intended purpose.

Kwaku Okoh, Managing Director of Pasico Ghana Limited, facilitators of the acquisition, was grateful to COCOBOD for the confidence reposed in them to supply various cargo handling equipment for efficiency at the ports.

Dr Kwame Mensah Aborampah, Acting Managing Director of Cocoa Marketing Company (CMC), a Subsidiary of COCOBOD which will directly benefit from the Reachstackers expressed his gratitude to COCOBOD since the move had fulfilled their dream of modernising CMC’s port operations.

The reach stackers, which are valued at 1.4 million Euros will be positioned at the Tema, Kumasi, and Takoradi take-over centres and are expected to improve efficiency at the ports.