Meridian Port Services Ltd (MPS) has signed an agreement with the China Harbor Engineering Company (CHEC) to carry out the second phase of the Port Expansion Project. This involves the construction of the 4th Berth and last berth of the new port.

The new contract adds another 400 meters of berth to the 1000 meter already being built creating a total of 1.4 kilometers of full capacity berth capable of handling vessels up to 16 meter draft.

Furthermore it adds about 30 hectares of land to the total area, creating a total of 127 hectares of new terminal.

Chief Executive Officer of MPS, Mr. Mohamed Samara stated that this meant that the project would be completed before schedule.

“This contract and the further works to be done to prepare this area add a total value of over 110 million USD to the project and further investment in operating equipment will increase these amounts by another 100 million USD when throughput volumes increase. The additional berth is envisaged to be completed by the end of 2020, two years ahead of its original schedule."

Signing the agreement on behalf of CHEC, The Project Manager, Mr Leo Wang thanked MPS for the opportunity to complete the state-of –the art port.

“We are happy to be selected to construct the 2ND Phase of this massive project. We (CHEC) assure you that we will not compromise on the integrity over the last years and thus this project would be completed within the scheduled time along with great attention to detail."

The Project Director for the Tema Port Expansion Project, Mr. Mark Nolet commended CHEC for their hard work and commitment towards the completion of the Port.

“We have stuck with CHEC because of their track record as we have experienced in the first phase of this project. They have demonstrated that they are indeed remarkable port builders and we are happy to partner them in this 2nd Phase”. Let me add that by the end of May, the new port will receive the first commercial vessel for test runs on the newly completed berths. We are almost ready to deliver the first phase of this gigantic and important infrastructure for Ghana." He also hinted.

BACKGROUND

Meridian Port Services is expanding the Port of Tema and construction is on track to open the new terminal next month! The project, worth a total of 1.1 billion dollar in the first phase alone, is on track as per its original plan to complete the first port of its kind in West Africa. The new port will stimulate connectivity, create new jobs and promote the Ghanaian economy.

The first phase includes building of a 3.5 kilometer breakwater to protect the whole development area; dredging of the seabed to 18 meters to allow for the largest container vessels in the world to enter the new terminal and construction of all general areas as well as the first 3 berths to operate vessels.

The shareholders of MPS consider these further investments a sign of faith in the Ghanaian economy and trust in the Ghanaian government to sustain a welcoming international investment climate. The overall new port development will change the position of Ghana in the West African region as a transport hub and enable new connections to be made, services to be provided and for the Ghanaian Economy to thrive.