We the MPS Workers of the Maritime & Dockworkers Union (MDU) and the Enterprise Based Union (EBU) of the Meridian Port Services Limited (MPS) are happy to be a part of the magnificent investment by MPS in the Tema Port Expansion Project.

We invite all stakeholders within the maritime industry to come and experience the efficient 24 hour service provided by Terminal 3 all year round.

We are happy to present our perspectives about the positive impacts of MPS’ Tema Port Expansion Project on workers in particular and Ghana in general.

  What does the Tema Port Expansion Project represent?

Many of us joined MPS  from GPHA in 2007 when Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) granted MPS a concession to build a dedicated container terminal within the Port of Tema on Two (2) of the 16 berths. 

With a lot of dedication to work, training of the workforce, investments in equipment and technology in Terminal 2, the Terminal positioned Tema Port as one of the most efficient ports in West and Central Africa with good safety and security controls.

Tema Port has significantly expanded its share of container traffic in West Africa due to the level of services rendered by MPS and we are proud to be a part of this success story over the past 13 years in Terminal 2 and we are excited about our future in Terminal 3.

With the future of container transportation changing to the use of large vessels, we were very excited when MPS was again positioned to invest in the vision of Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority’s (GPHA) Masterplan for the expansion of the Port of Tema.

As at now the future of the Port of Tema is very bright because MPS has built the cornerstone of the GPHA Masterplan for the development of the Port of Tema and has created the opportunity for stakeholders to further develop other parts of the Port of Tema into logistics platforms.

Having built capacity for the Port of Tema in Terminal 3, we are proud to see the new generation vessels which could hitherto not call directly at the Port of Tema berthing at Terminal 3.  We the workforce are excited to be operating, maintaining and managing these giant cranes which happen to be the largest in the world.  We are equally excited to be servicing large new generation class of vessels. We are proud that the Port of Tema is living up to the expectation of being West Africa’s First-Port-of-Call.

We are happy to know that for the next 35 years our employment is guaranteed and believe that since the port is built on design criteria to last for 100 years, Terminal 3 would provide employment not just for us during our lifetime, but will provide employment for many generations to come. The earlier MPS Concession would have ended in 7 years but with the Tema Port Expansion Project, there is a 35 year period where there is a guarantee of jobs for workers of the revenue collection agencies, security agencies, port authority supervisory employees, statutory bodies, all direct and indirect workers and service providers of Terminal 3.

We have seen an increase in the numbers and workforce of the over 100 suppliers and subcontractors who provide services at Terminal 3 and see the smiles on many faces of their employees for the opportunities presented to them by the expanded port.

It is also heartening to note that many of the contractors who built the Port have left behind a lot of trained workers who have found jobs in other sectors of the construction industry because of the exposure that the building of the Port Expansion Project provided.

We also remember with fond memories the many local companies that were positively impacted through their provision of services during the construction of this magnificent edifice.  We are proud to acknowledge the contribution of the many environmental consultants, project management companies, quarries, cement companies, iron rod manufacturing companies, haulage companies, food vendors, equipment supply and equipment hiring companies who in various ways made the construction of this masterpiece a reality.

Terminal 2 is ready to be handed over to the Port Authority and we are excited to note that this facility which provided employment to over a thousand people during the period when it was occupied by MPS can now be used for other non-containerized cargo business.

To this end, we see that the movement of MPS from Terminal 2 to Terminal 3 provides the excellent opportunity for the use of Terminal 2 in the efficient handling of various types of cargo such as Roll-On- Roll-Off (RORO) cars, busses, trucks, agricultural vehicles project cargo, cranes, liquid bulk such as Crude oil, petrol, fuel oil, vegetable oils, dry bulk including grain, coal, iron ore, cement, sugar and break bulk that may consist of Paper, wood, bags of cocoa, rolls of steel. This is the future we see in the Port of Tema hence our positive disposition.

How does T3 contribute to the brand of Ghana?

According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) about 90% of global trade is by sea and having positioned the Port of Tema with the modernization that Terminal 3 has brought to Ghana, we are happy to say that MPS has built the right infrastructure to connect Ghana to the Global sea trade.  The modernization of Terminal 2 to receive non-containerized cargo will even further boost the capacity of the Port of Tema for the Africa Continental Free Trade Area.  MPS is partnering the Port Authority to bring connectivity between the various economies of Africa to enable businesses and workers thrive.

We see a future in the generation of more jobs as Tema is plugged into the AfCTA of 1.2 Billion people with a 3 Trillion US Dollar economy.  We see a future in the development of many businesses in and around the Port of Tema just as is currently happening in the Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) Malaysia.

The economies of scale advantages provided by the large new generation vessels and the positioning of Tema as a first-port-of-call will certainly impact businesses positively and translate into more jobs for the skilled but unemployed youth of Ghana.

We see a future for Ghanaian farmers and other agro and small scale businesses to be able to export their products throughout Africa and beyond at a much lower cost and with good turnaround times to compete with farmers and businesses from other parts of the continent.

The whole nation stands to benefit from this-a positive ripple effect. Many lives stand to be improved with the creation of wealth and the reduction in cost of goods and services in the long run. A definition of MPS’S corporate slogan, “We Connect, You Thrive”.  Terminal 3 is here to promote employment, economic and social development in our nation Ghana.

“Woforo dua pa a, na yepia wo”  when you climb a good tree, you are given a push is the Adinkra  symbol of support for good causes and we as workers of MPS will urge all Ghanaians to give a push to the good causes provided by Terminal 3, Port of Tema.

GOD BLESS OUR HOMELAND GHANA AND MAKE OUR NATION GREAT AND STRONG!

HAPPY 63^RD INDEPEDENCE CELEBRATION TO GHANA. LET US “CONSOLIDATE OUR GAINS” FROM THIS MAGNIFICENT NATIONAL EDIFICE!