By Desmond Cudjoe, Takoradi
IbisTek Limited and its partners have delivered three landmark projects at the Port of Takoradi which are geared towards making the Port competitive and comparable to any port in the West African sub-region.
These projects Takoradi Container Terminal (TACOTEL), which was commissioned on June 10, 2018; the Liquid Bulk Jetty, commissioned on September 15, 2020; and the latest being the Container and Multipurpose Terminal (On-Dock Project) – Phase one, which is under the subsidiary, Atlantic Terminal Services Limited, ATSL which was commissioned by the President yesterday.
The Chairman of IbisTek, Mr. Kwame Gyan, said ATSL has been developed by Ibistek Limited, a wholly-owned Ghanaian company, in partnership with GPHA and AFC Equity with financial support from the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF), Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), and ACCESS Bank. The company and its partner investments at the Port of Takoradi stand in the region of USD332.7M.
Speaking at the commissioning of the terminal, Mr Gyan conveyed their gratitude to the President for standing by them during the period of sustained adversity. “During the implementation of this project, we had to endure extreme pain and anguish. We were in the firing line of domestic and foreign interests that were poised to wrestle the project from us, using all manner of excuses and tactics,” he said.
According to him, “we have been able to complete this landmark project because of your unwavering support and commitment.”
IbesTek Chairman posited, “People did not believe in our dream. They thought we were too ambitious, being the first Ghanaian company to thread on the path hitherto the preserve of foreign giants. Mr. President, I think, I would not be wrong to say IBISTEK has made you proud. Indeed, I think we have”. Mr Gyan also commended the Minister for Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiama for his invaluable in the success of the project. “The first Concession Agreement was signed in his office against very stiff opposition.
Subsequently, he left no stone unturned to ensure the successful delivery of this project, he said. He indicated that, the company is left with the mobilization of the necessary equipment and materials and systems for operational readiness to be able to start full operations. “Barring any unforeseen circumstances, we expect to receive our first vessel during the first week of March 2023,” he assured.
CONTAINER TERMINAL
The terminal developed now presents a 600 metre quay wall at -16m water depth along the berths. There is also a terminal space of 9.8 hectares (98,000) square meters) fitted with civil engineering terminal facilities and utilities services for container terminal operations. Crane rails have been provided in anticipation of the most modern ship-to-ship (STS) container handling cranes.
OIL AND GAS SERVICES TERMINAL
The Oil and Gas Services Terminal to be developed will provide 21 hectares of serviced terminal area and a 550 metre primary quay wall facility. The quay area will provide -10m water depth at berths and 40 metre quay apron for terminal operations. The serviced terminal area is being developed to accommodate oil and gas services providers, fabrication companies, exploration company partners and their suppliers for supply base activities. The 21 hectares facility has a design capacity to handle a peak demand of at least 15mMT9million metric tons) per annum of oil and gas services supplies/cargo for the explorations cluster. Total project cost is approximately USD 98m to be completed on September 2024.
PRIME MERIDIAN DOCKS
The Prime Meridian Docks Ghana Limited is a private Ghanaian Company that is developing a floating dry dock facility for ship and rig repairs in the Port of Takoradi. The project comprises civil works and the procurement of a floating dry dock. The civil works involves the dredging of a pocket for the floating dock and the turning basin to-14m and -11m respectively, the construction of a jetty of 200 meters, a fitting-out quay facility that provides up to 400 meters of berthing space and the development of some 18,000 square meters of lay-down area and land-based workshop facility. A 13,500 ton lift capacity floating dry dock will be newly constructed and will be capable of servicing ships of 200 metres (LOA). This phase of the project is estimated at USD 137 Million funded by PMD, private equity investors and development finance institutions. The shipyard facility is expected to be operational in fourth quarter of 2024.
DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF GPHA
The Director-General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, GPHA, Mr. Michael Lukuje, said the projects mark a watershed in the delivery of infrastructure in the Port of Takoradi under the ambitious Takoradi Port Expansion and Modernization Project, which seeks to modernise infrastructure and expand capacity in the Port of Takoradi to maintain its leading role in the export of dry bulk cargo, position it as an oil and gas logistics hub, and as a worthy alternative to the Port of Tema in the handling of containers and other general cargoes, as well as in ship repairs.
“The commissioned Dry Bulk Cargo Terminal and phase 1 of the Container and Multipurpose Terminal are game changers and will make it possible for Takoradi to now receive and handle cape size bulk carriers and fifth generation container vessels, he said. He indicated that, the commencement of the construction of the Oil and Gas Services Terminal, and the Floating Dock for ship repairs as well as the new Liquid Bulk Jetty among other projects embody the new modernized multipurpose port of Takoradi.
“So far, the Takoradi port expansion programme which covers the major marine dredging works, construction of breakwater, and the bulk cargo and container terminals, represents a total investment of close to $1 billion” he said. He was optimistic that, “a modernized Takoradi Port, and the giant Port of Tema which is already a leader in container handling in the West Africa, Ghana’s positioning will be further enhanced as the maritime trade and transport gateway to West Africa.”