Takoradi Harbour to undergo rehabilitation

The Takoradi Harbour is to undergo a major rehabilitation at an estimated cost of $250 million to make it one of the most modern sea ports in the sub-region within the next eight years.

It would involve the expansion of the dry dock and marine engineering and shipway sections, building of additional container terminals with modern equipment and the construction of a multi-purpose berth.

Mr. Paul Asare Ansah, Marketing and Customer Services Manager of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) said under a short term plan, 130 million United States dollars contract for the dredging, supply of some equipment and the provision of certain facilities had been awarded and work would begin soon.

He was briefing a 25-member delegation of the Kumasi Shippers Committee and members of the shipping community in Sekondi-Takoradi on new strategies being evolved to make activities at the port more efficient and competitive at a forum at Takoradi on Friday.

It was also to afford the delegates the chance to explore existing opportunities for passing their imports and exports through the port. Mr. Ansah said an aggressive publicity programme would also be adopted to create a new image, exposure as well as to promote the port in countries in the sub-region and beyond.

Mr. Ansah asked the public to disabuse their minds of the notion that the Takoradi harbour was 'dead or dying" and said by the performance indicators, activities at the port had been growing steadily over the past 10 years providing statistics to support his claim.

For instance, 488 ships with 3.4 million tons of cargo docked at the port in 2001 as against 382 with a cargo of 1.8 million tons, which docked in 1992. He explained that owing to the increase in efficiency, ships now discharge cargo, load and set sail within a shorter period, adding "ships now require only 1.5 days to discharge cargo, load and leave, making the port, provider of the fastest services in the sub-region"

Mr. Ansah mentioned a number of incentives for shippers and those who would do business through the port. Some of the advantages to be derived include, rebate on transit charges and stevedoring.

Mr. Chris Amedor, Acting Director of the Takoradi port, told the forum that the port, which deals in both exports and imports, would adopt more pragmatic measures to deepen the relationship between it and other port users and the shipping community.