Ghana’s ports play a vital role in supporting the country’s economy through a steady stream of trade moving through the country’s main ports. Currently, 85% of the country’s trade passes through the country’s main ports; the Port of Tema and the Port of Takoradi. These ports, situated on the east coast of Ghana, provide the perfect location for shipping and logistics operations to shipping lines traversing the western coast of Africa, and so the ports today are a thriving hub for trade and logistics in West Africa. Due to its vital positions along the African coastline, many major shipping companies such as Maersk, CMA CGM, MSC and Delmas utilise Ghana’s ports today, to help facilitate a range of vital international trade lines.
The development of Ghana’s shipping industry can be traced back to 1928 with the construction of the Port of Takoradi. The port was established to help facilitate Ghana’s international trade network, aided by the introduction of Ghana’s transportation network. The port played a vital role in the initial regional and international shipping development for Ghana. Following Ghana’s independence in 1957, even more road infrastructure was implemented, and with this, the Port of Tema was constructed.
In the following years, the port and harbours industry of Ghana saw a vast overhaul with the construction of these two ports, the introduction of a shipyard complex, the construction of accommodation for port workers, the dredging of turning basins and berths, and the development of quays and buildings dedicated for the container terminals. Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) are vital to the development of Ghana’s ports, as they are the sole party involved in overseeing all projects with a central focus on developing the infrastructure of Ghana’s ports to establish it as a thriving hub for trade and economic development in the region.
The Port of Tema is the largest in the country and covers over 5.5 million square meters (sq m) of land area, just 30 kilometres (km) from the capital of Ghana. Typical calls at the port include those from container vessels, general cargo vessels, tankers, Roll-on/Roll-off vessels, and cruise vessels. The port sees over 1500 vessel calls a year, which are met with the reliable services of GPHA and then passed on through its network of warehouses, transport and haulage companies, freight forwarders, factories, or various related centres.
The Tema Port is also home to GPHA’s Golden Jubilee Terminal (GJT) and Transit Terminal. GJT is an inland clearance depot strategically located on the western end of the Port of Tema. The facility includes a container freight station, state warehouse, car park, an open stuffing/unstuffing area, banking services, customs, security, and container storage/delivery services. This terminal allows vessels travelling into Ghana’s ports to pass through customs clearances efficiently and then on to either storage or delivery methods.
Then, the Transit Terminal is designed to extend the Authority’s services beyond Ghana and into Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger; by providing a one-stop procedure for clearance so cargo can pass through ports and towards end markets much more quickly. The terminal also supports the port’s Reefer Terminal, which has over 1550 reefer plugging points and caters for the inflow and outflow of cargo which needs temperature regulation such as fresh produce and frozen foods.
Following the rapid expansion of the Port of Tema, the Port of Takoradi pivoted away from more general cargo trade and became the dominant oil and gas hub for West Africa. The port’s new aim was to provide efficient services to its customers in an environmentally sustainable way to stimulate growth in the economy and sub-region.
Much like the Port of Tema, GHPA works across the Port of Takoradi to provide efficient services to customers by delivering efficient pilotage, towage, mooring/unmooring, berthing, stevedoring, fresh water supply, storage, and warehousing services – to name only a few. Therefore, the port continues to play an increasingly important role in the oil and gas sector as it takes vital energy products entering or leaving the region and aids in their movement to both local and international markets.
Both the Port of Tema and the Port of Takoradi are served by leading global shipping lines. CMA CGM is committed to fostering strong relationships with customers across Ghana, to facilitate the shipping of goods via the country’s main ports. For this, it has developed a range of digital tools, which help customers better track their shipping information, to ensure that it can provide the best transportation and logistics needs for any type of cargo.
Maersk has offices in Tema, Takoradi and Kumasi which are strategically located to help Ghanaian businesses to connect with the world. Maersk is passionate about ensuring that whether shipping standard, refrigerated or oversized cargo, it is ready to provide the best solutions to and from the Port of Tema and Port of Takoradi, supported by its local and global networks of experts. The presence of such global shipping companies operating to and from the Port of Tema and Port of Takoradi signifies their vital role in enhancing the connectedness of Ghana with the world.
The interconnected nature of the Port of Tema and Port of Takoradi with the rest of the world was further enhanced in January 2024, when Meridian Port Services Ltd. (MPS) began utilising the Port of Tema as its first port of call in West Africa. The shipping line under the Maersk-CMA-CGM West African Express (WAX) service line, will add to the existing calls made to the port by the companies. This continued expansion reflects the ongoing relationships that GPHA and the operations at the Port of Tema have built with major shipping lines to support Ghana’s expanding role across the international shipping landscape.
GPHA, along with vital international shipping companies, has cemented Ghana’s place as a vital trade hub along the West African coast. The Port of Tema and Port of Takoradi now play a vital role in enhancing shipping and trade operations, to meet the growing cargo and oil and gas markets that are vital to sustaining Ghana’s economy. We look forward to seeing how GPHA continues to develop both ports in the coming years, as it positions the Port of Tema and the Port of Takoradi as the modern ports of choice in West Africa.
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