Management of the Port of Takoradi is inviting economic operators, and the trading public both in Ghana and across the neighbouring transit nations to come and experience the world class and efficient services that are being offered at the Port of Takoradi as a result of the massive investments in state-of-the-art infrastructural developments that are currently ongoing at the Port of Takoradi.

Speaking on Eye on Port, the Human Resource Manager at the Port of Takoradi, Mr. Peter Amo Bediako revealed that efficiency at the Port of Takoradi has been significantly amplified by major developmental projects some of which have already been completed while others are ongoing at the Port.

The HR Manager at the Port of Takoradi who until recently was in charge of Marketing and Public Affairs of the Port of Takoradi seized the opportunity to call on both local and international private investors who are looking to venture into port infrastructural development to approach the leadership of the Port Authority and establish a mutually beneficial arrangement for that purpose.

“All you need to do is write the proposal to the Director General of GPHA, then you would be called to demonstrate your strength,” he said.

He revealed that the successful partnership between Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority and companies like GOIL, and the IbisTek Group is a demonstration of the seriousness the Port Authority attaches to its vision of building a strong infrastructural base to serve as a foundation for the nation’s industrial and economic development.

Mr. Peter Amo-Bediako, also revealed that the Port of Takoradi is also encouraging greater participation of local companies in the Oil and Gas sector as part of its vision of being a first class port and a dominant oil and gas hub in the sub region.

“We have given Baj Freight, a local indigenous company, for example, a space of 31,000 square meters, and they have a quay side area, and that is used to solely support the ENI project. Inside the port, they have a warehouse facility that is used to support the oil and gas industry,” he cited.

He said the Port of Takoradi is committed to being the strategic support base for the oil and gas industry, hence, venturing into developmental projects that complements the Oil and Gas Industry.

“We wanted to meet the needs of traditional cargo that we had, vis-a-vis that of the oil industry, which is new. Congestion was coming into the port. Demurrage for oil vessels for example is 25,000 dollars per day, and a rig, minimum 1 million dollars per day. The oil majors also would factor it in the cost of production and subtract it from Ghana’s share. So at the port level, if we are able to reduce the waiting time, we will save a lot of money and it will positively affect our share of the oil revenue,” he elaborated.

Speaking on the same program, the Group Chief Executive Officer of IbisTek Group of Companies, Dr. Felix Nana Sackey, also called on both the Ghanaian and Transit economic operators to patronise the Port of Takoradi as they are guaranteed 12 hrs or less time in the clearance of goods through the new inland depot, TACOTEL.

“Currently, a lot more people are using Takoradi for importation of vehicles and TACOTEL’s systems are set up in such a way that within 12hrs you can clear your goods from TACOTEL. So it is something that everyone should start considering,” he revealed.

He said the Port of Takoradi’s efficiency and capacity has even more been strengthened with the completion of the IBISTEK-powered new liquid bulk terminal, where he encouraged more companies dealing in oil to establish their tank farms in the Port of Takoradi to experience the full benefits of the new automated port infrastructure at that port.

Mr. Peter Amo Bediako, the HR Manager at the Port of Takoradi, stressed that several critical developmental projects have been put in place to encourage and grow the Transit Trade.

He said the rehabilitated bulk jetty at the Port of Takoradi is the deepest of its kind in West Africa, and has augmented the turnaround time of vessels, placing the Port at a relatively higher competitive advantage for business.

“The new bulk jetty that has been created for instance is -16 and 800m, the maximum length of ships that used to come to there was about 180 metres. Now we are positioning the port to be able to handle 250-meter vessels. Now they can load from 100,000 – 120, 000 metric tonnes of cargo,” Mr. Amo Bediako disclosed.

The Human Resource Manager of the Port of Takoradi also revealed that due to the high security at the Port, ship to ship transfer of cargo is a regular practice at the Port’s anchorage, a development that is rare in neighbouring Ports.

“There is no port in the sub region that you can do an STS operation at the anchorage. If you come to the Port of Takoradi now, about 4 nautical miles away from the port, this is ongoing there with manganese.”

Mr. Amo-Bediako said, the Port of Takoradi’s vision for development has been given a major boost after the President signed an executive instrument designating further 10km expansion of the Port, which is being considered to be developed into a petrochemical enclave.