Meridian Ports Services signs purchase agreement with Shanghai Shenhua

Meridian Ports Services, the renowned company operating the container terminals at Tema port, has signed a purchase agreement with Shanghai Zhenhua at the ZPMC Head Quarters, Shanghai, as part of efforts to leverage cutting edge technology to promote efficient and timely container terminal services in Ghana.

The short but colourful ceremony saw the Chief Executive Officer of MPS, Mr Mohamed Samara, sign on behalf of MPS whilst the President of ZPMC, Mr Fred Huang, appended his signature on behalf of ZPMC.

By the terms of the agreement, Shanghai Zhenhua has to deliver 27 new gantry cranes for the new Tema Port Expansion. The purchase agreement covers the construction, delivery and commissioning of 7 units ship-to-shore (STS) container handling cranes and 20 units Electrical Rubber-Tyred-Gantry cranes (ERTG), including, but not limited to, training, spare parts, certificates, manuals and drawings to be provided pursuant to the Agreement.

The $82 million investment marks an enviable milestone in MPS’ effort to position Tema Port as one of the top container terminal operators in Africa. Indeed it is the largest single state-of-the-art container gantry cranes purchase in West Africa, a development that hands a great deal of boost to the Tema Port Expansion Project.

The Minister for Transport, Honourable Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, who led the Ghanaian delegation from Ghana Ports and Harbours (GPHA) and Meridian Port Services (MPS) to the signing ceremony, reiterated Ghana Government’s commitment to improving efficiency, stress free and seamless port service system in the country.

While hinting at a number of initiatives in this direction, he noted ‘‘The Government of Ghana has committed to creating an enabling environment for the private sector to invest and thrive. This is what has informed our decision to reduce the human interfaces, which has traditionally, served to impede speedy and seamless transactions at Ghana’s ports’’.

The Hon Minister indicated that ZPMC’s operations was beyond the sale of cranes.

“It is my hope that this signing ceremony will establish the foundation for ZPMC to set up a strategic cooperative partnership with our nation as we seek the continuous development of our seaport as well as the various sectors of our economy in the years to come”, he added.

Mr Mohammed Samara, CEO of MPS, observed that the acquisition of the state-of the-art gantry cranes was demonstrative of MPS’ Shareholders (APM Terminals, Bolloré Transport & Logistics and GPHA) readiness to ensure that the Tema port was adequately equipped and technologically positioned to manage the huge import and export traffic, which is expected to grow on the back of Ghana’s steady socio-economic credentials in the sub-region.

Expressing optimism over the huge economic potential of the Tema port expansion, he noted ‘‘The Tema Port is bound to be the first port of call for the major liner mother vessels. Shipping lines are already deploying the largest vessels that can dock along the West African routes; therefore, boosting the MPS’ port capacity and operational efficiency, will, undoubtedly, create new opportunities for the shipping lines at the Centre of the World’’.

Mr Paul Asare Ansah, the Director General of GPHA, highlighted Ghana’s economic revolution over the past decade. He expressed delight over the tripling of the import and export volumes through the Tema Port, a development he predicts will continue.

‘‘GPHA has developed the Master Plan for the seaports in Ghana and while MPS will be implementing the container terminal inside the new Tema Port Expansion, there are other projects being perused by GPHA,’’ he said.

The delegation toured the assembly lines of the STS Cranes, where they inspected and witnessed, at first hand, the various stages of the production in the factory and the massive 5 km long quay on the waterfront. There were about 100 STS Cranes being assembled in the impressive and vastly manpowered production lines of 16,000 workers.

Meanwhile, the preliminary preparations for MPS Cranes to enter its production cycle are at an advanced stage with delivery expected in December 2018.