Tema Port Soon To Admit Large Ships

Large Ships Dredging and expansion works on the Tema Harbour is nearing completion.

The project which commenced las t year, involves the extension and re-inforcement of the quay and cost over 20 Million Dollars. The executing contractors are a Dutch Marine Engineering firm, Messers Boskalis.

According to the Board Chairman of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, (GPHA) Mr Adomako, Who made the disclosure, said on completion, the Tema Port can admit large vessels with deeper drafts, to berth at almost all quays.

He said the tender process for the award of contract for the dredging of the Takoradi Port, will be open as soon as the Tema project ends.

Mr Adomako noted that the dredging of the Takoradi port will also allow large vessels to berth to cart manganese and bauxite.

The Board Chairman made the remarks when he presented a cheque for 10 Billion Cedis, representing the payment of dividend by the Ghana ports and Harbours Authority on its operations for the year 2000, to the Minister for transport and Communications in Accra.

It marks an improvement on the yield in the operations of the Ports for 1999 which was 7 Billion Cedis.

The first time the GPHA paid dividends on its profits was in 1992, in the Sum of 500Million Cedis. This was after it became an autonomous State Enterprise.