It is anticipated that the USD 56.7M ultra-modern Liquid Bulk Terminal (LBT) in the Port of Takoradi, will receive its maiden oil tanker vessel by end of June this year.
The historic event unfolds after a series of stakeholder consultations and management concluded today [23 June 2021], by the Port Authorities with actors at the downstream petroleum sector, in Takoradi.
Though belated, the operationalization of the Liquid Bulk Terminal by Marshall Oil and Gas Services, a subsidiary of IbisTek Ghana, couldn’t have been perfected without these critical consultations with sector agencies and other stakeholders.
Director of Port, Captain Ebenezer Afadzi disclosed that plans to kick the facility into operation after its commissioning last year by the Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia were frustrated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
He indicated all requirements and certifications for the operationalization of the terminal had been concluded.
Captain Afadzie detailed that three phases of due diligence assessment and other checks have been conducted on the facility by National Petroleum Authority (NPA), before giving the “green light”.
These checks included an inspection of the terminal’s distribution pipelines, industrial safety mechanisms and compliance, and others.
Among other thematic issues that had been discussed by stakeholders are how the facility could guarantee accurate metering/determination of cargo volumes, volume temperature compensation and billing, handling of pipeline displacement losses, pipeline size synchronization, standard operating procedures (SOPs), safety/security of vessels, product contamination liability/insurance, operating permits, applicable standards for calculation of quantities, pipeline condition (emptiness/fullness) determination prior to discharge, slop tanks inspection/draining before and after discharge, etc.
The new LBT project, when operational upon the arrival of the maiden tanker vessel, will become the deepest drafted LBT along the west coast of Africa; thus positioning the Port of Takoradi as an essential and cost-efficient logistical support for the supply of liquid bulk cargoes such as petrol, diesel, LPG, bitumen and so on.
Participant stakeholders at the briefing/consultation sessions included representatives of bulk oil distribution companies (BDCs), oil marketing companies (OMCs), shipping agents, the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (financier of the LBT project), Marshall Oil & Gas Services (an IbisTek subsidiary and operators of the new LBT), the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA).
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Emmanuel Ohene Gyan