The Minister for Transport, Hon. Joseph Bukari Nikpe, has announced a series of measures to ease congestion at the Port of Tema and improve the efficiency of clinker discharge following growing volumes of clinker imports by cement manufacturing companies.
The measures include the completion of dredging works at three berths allocated to cement manufacturers, the temporary addition of a fourth berth, the introduction of a vessel scheduling system and discussions with cement manufacturers about using the Port of Takoradi as an alternative and the use of larger vessels to reduce the number of ships waiting to berth and discharge at the port.
The Minister said this when he visited the Port of Tema together with the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry and some officials of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority to assess the causes of delays in the discharge of clinker and engage relevant stakeholders on practical solutions to the congestion.
Hon. Bukari Nikpe explained that the recently completed dredging had increased the draft capacity of the berths, allowing larger vessels to access the port and also disclosed that the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) is facilitating a temporary allocation of a fourth berth to complement the three berths already being used by cement manufacturers.
He added that the dredging presented an opportunity for cement manufacturers and shipping lines to move away from the use of smaller vessels to larger ones, which would significantly reduce the number of vessels queuing to discharge.
According to him, shipping lines would be notified of the increased draft capacity to enable them take advantage of the improving conditions at the port. He further encouraged cement manufacturers to explore the possibility of pooling their consignments and using larger vessels for clinker imports, explaining that reducing the number of vessels calling at the port would help ease pressure on the available berths.
The Minister noted that another measure under consideration is the introduction of a scheduling system for cement manufacturers to regulate the arrival of clinker vessels and prevent several vessels from arriving at the port at the same time.
Hon. Bukari Nikpe said cement manufacturers would also be encouraged to secure suitable holding areas close to the Port of Tema to facilitate the prompt evacuation of discharged clinker. This, he explained, would improve vessel turnaround time by ensuring that discharged materials are moved out swiftly and space is created for subsequent vessels.
The Minister further suggested the possible use of the Port of Takoradi as an alternative gateway for some clinker imports, noting that spreading the import volumes across Ghana's ports could help reduce pressure on Tema and minimise demurrage costs.
He added that stakeholders would continue to explore long-term measures to sustain efficient discharge operations at the port as demand for cement-related products continues to grow. He urged cement manufacturers to reconsider planned price increases, stressing that higher prices would not resolve the challenges confronting the sector.
The Minister stressed that the Ministry and its stakeholders would continue working to improve operational efficiency at the Ports to reduce congestion and to ensure the timely movement of cargo.
The Director General (DG) of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Major General Paul Seidu Tanye-Kulono, said the immediate priority was to clear the existing congestion by ensuring that cement vessels were able to discharge their cargo more efficiently. He noted that the long-term objective would be to develop sustainable measures to maintain the smooth handling of cement-related products at the Port of Tema.
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