The Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Mr. Kitack Lim has visited the Tema Port Expansion Project. His visit formed part of his first visit to Ghana since assuming the position as head of IMO.

It coincides with a historic time in the maritime industry in Ghana and in Africa as MPS gears up towards the opening of the Tema Port Expansion Project in June 2019: The biggest container terminal in the West African Sub- region set to become the transshipment hub for Africa.

Mr Lim was taken through a detailed overview of the project including its history, progress and the sophisticated technology that had been deployed in the new terminal.

Presenting the overview of the project, the CEO of MPS, Mohamed Samara mentioned that MPS is, together with GPHA and GMA, committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety and security with full compliance with the ISPS Code and SOLAS Convention.

Mr Lim added that the next will be implementing plugging ships into shore-side power and turning off onboard generators in order to reduce air pollution from ships, as well as limit local noise. In response Mr Samara assured that MPS terminal has the ability to install same once more clarity on the standardization is established by the policy-makers to implement “cold-ironing” or “shore-side power” solutions for ships in port.

Mark Nolet, the Project Manager added that the project has at all times adhered and created avenues to improve upon the culture of Environmental Sustainability. “The cranes that were recently delivered are of the highest quality and will run on electricity to reduce the carbon footprint from the new terminal.”

Mr Lim in a statement expressed satisfaction with the high level of investment and the potential yields it held for Ghana and the African continent. “IMO under my leadership will continue to reveal to the rest of the world what is going on in the maritime industry of Ghana and Africa.”