26th April 2025, Ghana’s maritime industry witnessed a historic milestone with the arrival of MSC TÜRKIYE, one of the largest vessels ever to berth at a port in the Sub-Sahara Region. This remarkable event follows the arrival of another ultra-large vessel, the MSC DILETTA, just a week earlier.

The grand occasion was graced by dignitaries, including government officials, members of the diplomatic community, and leading business executives.

The Managing Director of MSC Ghana, Madam Garmy Sy, expressed her delight at the development and reaffirmed MSC’s long-standing commitment to supporting Ghana’s maritime growth. “The arrival of the 24,000 TEU ultra-large container vessels on Africa’s coasts is not just a major achievement for our company but a testament to our commitment to enhancing trade infrastructure, fostering economic growth across the continent, and contributing to local prosperity.” She continued,

 “These vessels symbolize development, job creation, and sustained growth for Ghana. MSC has been active in Africa for 50 years and in Ghana for 17 years, and today’s deployment marks the next major step in this journey.”

In his keynote address, the Minister for Transport, Hon. Joseph Bukari Nikpe, highlighted the government’s commitment under the leadership of H.E. John Dramani Mahama to advancing maritime development.

“MPS has become a model of successful partnership in Ghana. I urge all government stakeholders to emulate MPS by creating an enabling environment for business growth. Let me assure the shipping industry and prospective investors that Ghana possesses the facilities, expertise, and human resources necessary to meet all your trade and logistics needs. Under this government, we are determined to transform the overall business climate.”

 

The Director-General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), Brigadier General Paul Seidu Tanye-Kulono, commended the skill and professionalism of the marine and port workforce for safely manoeuvring and berthing the vessel.

“This achievement results from the strategic partnership between MPS and the Government of Ghana. The terminal is more than concrete and steel; it represents jobs created, businesses expanded, and countless lives uplifted through faster and more competitive trade. It symbolizes Ghana’s readiness to embrace the future.”

Mr. Gilbert Cappellini, Vice President for MSC’s Far East to Sub-Saharan Africa region, highlighted the significance of the MSC TÜRKIYE’s deployment:

“Deployed on the MSC Africa Express Service, the MSC TÜRKIYE connects Asia’s powerhouse economies to West Africa’s emerging economic hubs. This upgraded service charts a course through China, South Korea, and Singapore before arriving in West Africa, with Tema proudly standing as her first port of call.”

Speaking on behalf of Meridian Port Services Ltd., CEO Mr. Mohamed Samara recalled the bold vision laid out a decade ago: “In 2015, under the leadership of H.E. President John Dramani Mahama, we envisioned infrastructure capable of handling ultra-large vessels. Today, that vision is alive as we welcome one of the world’s largest container ships.”

He continued, to our trade and industry stakeholders, our motto is ‘We connect, you thrive.’ We are opening access to markets beyond Ghana, from Angola to Mauritania, with greater efficiency. Our design criteria focused on durability and scalability for 100 years, cutting transit times from Asia to Tema from 40–50 days to under 20 days.”

Mr. Samara announced further expansion plans: “Through the strong support of our shareholders, MPS is continuing to invest in expansion. We have 19 more gantry cranes on order — 3 for the quay and 16 electric Rubber-Tyred Gantries (e-RTGs) for the yard — to enhance our operational capacity.”

The event also featured the handover of 200,000 square meters of newly completed and fully furnished container yard from the project team to the operations team, boosting the port’s holding capacity. An additional 70,000 square meters will be completed and rolled out in October 2025, concluding the initial staged development of MPS Terminal 3; a 127-hectare (1.27 million square meters) state-of-the-art facility reclaimed from the Atlantic Ocean.

This new development is a testament to Ghana’s growing prominence in the global maritime industry, showcasing the country’s readiness to handle large-scale maritime operations and its commitment to building a competitive, business-friendly environment.