Author: rigworld_admin

The Takoradi Port has hit a major milestone in terms of its capacity to receive larger cargo vessels. The port, has on three consecutive times, and by incremental volumes of storage capacity had ships call into its anchorage to load and export manganese to China and other countries.

The latest and record breaking, is the MV Semirio of 290 meters’ length, and destined for China, has been loading 175,000 metric tonnes of manganese at the port.
According to Peter Amoo Bediako, Acting Marketing and Public Affairs Manager of the Port of Takoradi, the calling of the largest vessels in the world at the Port of Takoradi is an evidence to the fact that the port and its anchorage are safe.

“These are testament to the fact that the port limits are very safe as compared to our neighboring ports.”

He said last year manganese export rose from 2 million metric tonnes in 2017 to 4.2 million metric tonnes in 2018.

Peter Amoo-Bediako emphasized that the feat is remarkable, as it contributes to the port’s traffic, and ultimately the finances of the organization.

“For the first three months we had to handle close to 700,000 metric tonnes of cargo. Though very early, it shows that the Takoradi Port is on course to do a lot of business in 2019,” the Marketing and Public Affairs Manager expressed.

He continued that the port is a preferred shipping destination in the sub region, and that they would work to improve service delivery for their stakeholders.
He said the Port of Takoradi has been positioned not only to serve the manganese or the export markets but all the markets including the traditional cargo, oil and gas, the bulk cargo, the general cargo that it handles.

The Ghana Shippers Authority has organized a sensitization workshop for haulage truck drivers and operators on issues concerning road safety on Ghana’s transit corridors with its neighboring landlocked countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers Authority, Benonita Bismarck called on all stakeholders to contribute their quota to ensuring a lasting solution to the challenges confronting the transit trade in order to achieve Ghana’s quest to becoming the preferred transit country and subsequently becoming the gateway to the West African subregion.

Transit truck drivers were taken through the new transit Trade procedures which consist of Vehicle Registration, Bonding of Owners and Drivers involved in the Transit Trade, Road Safety among others.

Head of Freight and Logistics Department of the GSA, Fred Asiedu-Dartey said the major objective of the workshop is to address key issues confronting the haulage industry adding that the introduction of containerization of transit trucks needs to be discussed with the haulage truck drivers and owners.

Ishmael Bayaa of the Ghana Highways Authority also took truck drivers through the implementation of Axle Load Regulations in Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2180) and the need to avoid overloading.

An Officer from the National Road Safety Commission, Tony Dickson made a shocking revelation stating that safety on the road has gone beyond drunk driving as some drivers have resorted to inhaling fuel from the vehicle tanks to gain more energy in order to drive for long hours.

Some participants also expressed concerns over the corruption along the major highways, lack of rest stops, harassment from the Police and the need to ensure effective collaboration for transit trade to thrive.