Takoradi: GPHA begins dredging for multi-purpose container terminal

Benefits of -16 depth Director of Port of Takoradi Captain Ebenezer Afedzie said the terminal when completed will enhance their vision of being a hub and not a feeder port. “This project is very important to us because for years Takoradi Port has been deemed to be a port only for bulk mineral ore and container vessels and the rest were not coming here as we expected. The reason was our Port had a deepest draft of 10 meters. Now, this terminal we are building is going to have a depth of -16 meters. When we complete, we can bring in ships of up to -16 meters. The quay length for the container terminal is about 800 meters which is almost equal to the length of the old port.” He added: “At the old port there were few container vessels that were coming into the port. They will queue with general cargo and the rest. Now we are going to have a dedicated 795 meters and -16 meters depth quay for container vessels. So, any container vessel that comes to Takoradi Port after the building of this terminal, will come straight inside the Port.” According to him, the contractor has assured to work assiduously to be ahead of the scheduled date of completion of the terminal which is third quarter of 2021. “Apart from the container terminal side, there will be another terminal for multi-purpose cargo. But the focus now is on the terminal side. The timing of completion of work is good. Already, we have started advertising the port and sending messages out that next year we are going to have a brand new terminal. Before this to-be terminal, the highest number of containers we have discharged and loaded at the Takoradi Port is just about 850 to 900 TEU’s. Now, we are hoping that, with the completion of this terminal we are going to have big ships coming with about four to five hundred thousand TEU’s coming to discharge in Takoradi.” Local content Chief Executive Officer of IBISTEK, the project owners, Dr. Nana Sakyi said the project is currently employing over 400 Ghanaians. “The contractor currently has almost 400 Ghanaian employers on site. But as the project progresses that number is going to increase. Now we are dredging and when that is done, we are going to move to the next level which is placing of the blocks in the water and that will bring in some more people in addition to what we have now. We are projecting to hit about four million at the peak.” Dr. Sakyi explained that they have made enough provisions to enable local companies participate fully in the project. “The project cost is half a billion dollars and phase one is about $210 million which is what work is currently ongoing. Even though most of the money is going to the contractor, the contractor is also paying for supplies from Ghanaian suppliers. So, the aggregates, the sand, cement, labor and everything is local. They are not importing anything. So, if you look at the percentage more than sixty percent is going into the local economy.” By Eric Yaw Adjei|3news.com|Ghana  ]]>