Ghana is fast becoming the trade and commercial hub of the West African sub-region in accordance with the development strategy of the Ghanaian government. Ghana’s commercial seaports, the Ports of Tema and Takoradi [the Ports], built primarily for the export of raw materials, such as cocoa, manganese, bauxite and timber products, have in the last few years, witnessed significant positive changes in maritime trade with the rest of the world.

Container traffic through the ports grew from about 0.35m-TEUs in 2004 to about a little over 0.9m-TEUs in 2016, in the face of limited vessel facilities at the ports. Total cargo traffic through the ports is about 19.4 million metric tonnes, as of Dec. 2016, which reflects vessel calls in excess of 6S0 full cellular container vessels, 26 multipurpose container vessels, 170 roro vessels, and others covering large fishing vessels, dry mineral bulk and refrigerated cargo in 2016. On the average, the Ports discharged over 600 imported vehicles per working day into the Ghanaian economy over the last five years. Particularly for the Port of Takoradi, the influx of oil & gas services supply and shuttle vessels has increased the vessel call counts significantly.

Ghana’s economy has also been boosted by the growth in the petroleum (oil and gas) sector with continually increasing demands for port facilities for oil services vessels, the repair of oilrigs, and the reconfiguration of the maritime facilities within the Ghanaian coastal front for the medium to long-term projected demands. Further to these demands is the proliferation of energy plants to meet the increasing energy demands for Ghana. Liquid products other than gas, as of the end of 2016, fuel major electricity power production units in Ghana.The demand for gaseous fuels has brought into focus the need to develop handling facilities in the Ports of Tema and Takoradi.

Under democratic governance with the supremacy of the rule of law to all persons as its strength, the Port of Tema, in particular, has become the preferred port of call along the West Coast of Africa by cruise vessels and other non-icommercial vessels.

The positive signs of continued growth in the Ghanaian maritime trade have validated studies embarked upon by the GPHA over the past decade. In a deliberate response to the growth, the upgrade and expansion of the facilities at the Port of Tema begun in 2015. Expansion works in the Port of Takoradi began in 2013 in tandem with other important foundational programmes for the development of future new seaports for Ghana.

Further to the above, the Ministry of Transport, acting through the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority [GPHA] as the implementing agency and as part