Honourable Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, The Minister for Transport, led the Ghanaian delegation from Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) and Meridian Port Services (MPS) to the Signing Ceremony for the ordering of 27 new gantry cranes for the new Tema Port Expansion.

The purchase agreement between Meridian Port Services (MPS) and Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Company Limited (ZPMC) covers the construction, delivery and commissioning of 7 units Ship-To-Shore (STS) container handling cranes and 20 units Electrical Rubber-Tyred-Gantry cranes (ERTG), including, but not limited to, training, spare parts, certificates, manuals and drawings to be provided pursuant to the Agreement.

This 82 million U. S. Dollar investment is representing the biggest single order of such state-of-the-art container gantry cranes in West Africa and a major component in the Tema Port Expansion Project as well as a remarkable milestone in MPS’s journey to maintain Tema Port as one of the top container terminal operators in Africa. 

The official signing ceremony took place on 22^nd August, 2017 in Shanghai at the ZPMC Head Quarters. The Equipment Purchase Agreement was executed by The Chief Executive Officer of MPS, Mr Mohamed Samara, and The President of ZPMC, Mr Fred Huang.

The CEO of MPS indicated that, for once again, MPS is showing its adeptness at handling port operations for the last decade. In acquiring these high-tech gantry cranes, the MPS Shareholders (APM Terminals, Bolloré Transport & Logistics and GPHA) have shown their readiness to ensure that the new mega port will be adequately fitted with cutting-edge equipment and technology.

The CEO articulated that MPS is the biggest container terminal port in West Africa while the Ghanaian economy is the 2^nd largest in the region. Hence, with the social and economic steadiness, the import/export traffic through Tema Port is expected to continue to grow for many years to come. He further expressed his confidence Tema Port is bound to be the first port of call for the major liner mother vessels. Shipping lines are already deploying the largest vessels that can dock along the West African routes; therefore, the MPS expanded infrastructure capacity coupled with its renowned efficiency will certainly create new opportunities for the shipping lines at the Centre of the World, says Mr Samara.

Mr Paul Asare Ansah, the Director General of GPHA, highlighted Ghana’s economic evolution over the past decade where the Tema Port volumes tripled and expects the growth to continue for several years to come. GPHA has developed the Master Plan for the seaports in Ghana and while MPS will be implementing the container terminal inside the new Tema Port Expansion, there are for other project being perused by GPHA, Mr Ansah said.

The Honourable Minister of Transport revealed to the audience that the Government of Ghana has already given strong indications of its support and commitment to all activities geared towards the improvement of Port efficiency in the country. Moreover, despite being few months in office, the Ghana Government has already started to put in place strong foundations and enabling the environment for the private sector to invest and thrive within. 

Reflecting on the corporate profile statement made by the President of ZPMC, the Honourable Minister acknowledged that ZPMC does not only provide cranes, but other industries and so His Excellency expressed; “it is my hope that this signing ceremony will establish the foundation for ZPMC to set up a strategic cooperative partnership with our nation as we seek the continuous development of our seaports as well as the various sectors of our economy”.

The delegation went on to inspect the impressive assembly lines for the STS Cranes and visited the various stages of the production in the factory and along the massive 5 km Quay. On the waterfront, there were about 100 STS Cranes being progressively assembled in these vast production lines which are man-powered by 16 thousand workers. The preliminary preparations for the MPS Cranes to enter the production cycle have started and the delivery of the cranes to the new port facility in Tema is on schedule for December 2018.