In its pursuit to continue operating a world class container terminal facility at Tema Port, Meridian Ports Services (MPS) has taken a major leap by investing in a range of up-to-the-minute equipment. “This investment is aimed at modernizing our facility to achieve the company’s shared ambition with Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) to make Tema the ‘port of choice’ in West Africa,”  Mr. Mohamed Samara, Chief Executive Officer, MPS said in a statement issued in Accra. 

MPS, already one of the top container terminal operators in the West Africa sub-region, is a public-private partnership between GPHA and Meridian Port Holdings- which in turn is a joint venture with Bolloré Africa Logistics and APM Terminals as principal investors and the leading container terminal operators in the world.

Readers may recall that MPS had commissioned a new Mobile Harbour Crane in July of this year and has now placed orders on an additional two Ship-to-Shore (STS) and four Rubber Tyre Gantry (RTG) cranes; both for an estimated total investment outlay of $36 million US.

“This investment will prompt the creation of more than 50 job opportunities, from operators and operations staff and supervisors, to technical engineers and administrators”, he said.

Indeed, acquisition of these assets will not only boost the terminal’s throughput capacity up to one million TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) on both the quay and the yard, but also the technological advancement of the port’s operations.

The STS cranes will enable MPS to handle larger vessels (47 metre outreach) with container twin-lift capacities (60 tonnes under the spreader), offering clients the premier berth productivity and efficiency of the sub-region.

The RTG cranes come fully loaded with sophisticated technology, including Global Positioning Systems (GPS) linking it to the Terminal Operating System NAVIS via LXE heavy duty wireless computers using advanced Wi-Fi network all over the 24 hectare terminal.

While the STS cranes will facilitate faster vessel operation, the RTG cranes will enable MPS to carry out its imports’ yard operation solely through the cranes, gradually discarding the usage of reach stackers. This will result in a safer operational environment and faster container handling in the yard, ultimately reducing port congestion.

“Our service level saves not only operational time but also costs for the shipping lines, thereby making Tema Port a more attractive option and top-of-mind for our clients”, said Mr. Samara.

Along with importing state-of-the-art technology, MPS will launch continuous training and development programmes that will transfer invaluable know-how to all levels of employees at MPS, creating a highly skilled, invested Ghanaian workforce.

In a final comment, Mr. Samara said, “MPS is truly committed to its vision and mission of continuous improvement, aspiring to become a centre of excellence and the leading port in West Africa. As such, we will continue to deliver proactively and exceed our valued customers’ expectations.”