African Review - Belgium’s DJN starts second phase of Takoradi port expansion in Ghana

According to the Ghanaian Chronicle, the project was inaugurated by Ghana President John Dramani Mahama. The port expansion project has been scheduled for completion in 2016.

Earlier this year, the Ghana Ports and Habours Authority (GPHA) had appointed China Habour Engineering Company to complete the first phase of the expansion of the Takoradi port.

This included the extension of the main breakwater, provision of facilities to handle bulk commodities and dredging of access channels.

The first and second phases of the expansion have been estimated to cost US$344mn.

President Mahama said, “Over the years, the vessel sizes and operational requests for the GPHA have significantly changed. This situation requires immediate and radical solutions if the port has to remain competitive in the west African maritime environment. Business can no longer be sustained in water depths less than nine metres at the berths,” he said.

Ghana minister for transport, Dzifa Ativor, pointed out, “Due to the economic growth and the oil discoveries, existing port facilities are pressurised to accommodate the increase in traffic, especially in supply vessels that ply between the port and the oil fields.”

According to the GPHA, total traffic at the Takoradi port rose by 32 per cent to 5.3mn metric tonnes in 2012 from a year ago, while imports touched 2.31mn metric tonnes last years.

The Takoradi port expansion project would encourage trade and investments in the country, and help curtail unemployment, President Mahama added.

The project has been estimated to generate 600 direct employment opportunities and 3,000 ancillary jobs in the coming days.

GPHA director general Richard Anamoo said, “We have commenced the restructuring of the ports super-and infrastructural facilities to cater to dynamics of the shipping industry and the projected increase in maritime activities over the next decade.”