LPG receipt at Tema Port suspended indefinitely to allow repair works on loading arm

A loading arm that takes in LPG at the Port of Tema from vessels has broken off at the oil and gas jetty.

The incident was caused by a harsh wind that drifted the vessel apart while discharging. The development resulted in the loading arm breaking off.

The loading arm has since been taken to the Tema Shipyard for repairs.
This occurrence means, for the next few days, the oil and gas jetty at the Tema Port would not be able to take receipt of LPG from vessels. This is because in the absence of the loading arm, LPG cannot be offloaded.

However, the Deputy Minister of Energy, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, who addressed journalists at the Tema Port, allayed all fears and assured that there won’t be shortage of LPG in the system. He indicated that, works are ongoing to repair the damage, and the loading arm would resume function soon.

“As a government we are very responsive, we are very proactive, that is why we have moved in quickly, to see how we can restore the arm so they can resume offloading of LPG. But I want to assure you, through you, to the people of Ghana, that there won’t be any shortage of LPG,” he said.

He added that, in the meantime, the old bauxite jetty in Takoradi Port is available to supply the LPG while the repair works are ongoing.
“The old bauxite jetty in Takoradi, would be activated”, he said.

The CEO of the National Petroleum Authority, Alhassan Tampuli, who described the occurrence as an unforeseen natural disaster, emphasized that aside such natural circumstances, the GPHA safety team are more than capable to avert similar occurrences.



“The vessel was discharging at a point where it wasn’t anticipated the storm was going to be strong, otherwise the GPHA would have advised against discharging at the point. It was just slight showers and the vessel opened up, and along came with it the loading arm which really raptured and they had to bring it here for repair works”, he explained.

He commended management of the Tema Shipyard, who had promised to have the loading arm repaired to make way for LPG supply across the country.
The Harbour Master, Capt. Christian Asante, said, with the help of meteorological reports, keen measures have been taken to ensure that vessels are fastened to the quay and not make such discharges in the event of an incoming storm.

“When we get the information, we try and impress on the vessels to double up their lines so that they do not deviate from where they have been allocated,” he said.