The Port of Takoradi on Friday, August 6 received the maiden commercial tanker vessel, GH PARKS, to discharge cargo at West Africa’s deepest and new ultra-modern liquid bulk terminal (LBT).
This was to signal the formal commencement of commercial operations at the new state-of-the-art terminal of the Takoradi Port.
The LBT is 300m in length, 16m deep, and designed to receive tanker vessels with a maximum cargo tonnage capacity of 60,000 tons.
The facility has five loading/discharging arms, each for diesel, petrol, LPG, bitumen, and heavy fuel.
The Terminal Operator is Marshall Oil & Gas Services, a subsidiary of IbisTek Ghana Ltd,a wholly Ghanaian owned company, which is also GPHA’s concession partner for the new Atlantic Terminal Services (ATS) Container and Multipurpose Terminal, currently under construction in the Port of Takoradi.
Speaking at the official media briefing on Sunday the head of the Marketing and Public Affairs Department at the Port Peter Amo Bediako touted the new terminal as a game-changer for the port, as it will help rake in more revenue which hitherto would not have been possible.
“The new liquid bulk jetty in comparison with the old port which had the berth length of 120m and a depth of 8.4 on high water could not have received this vessel, not only does it give us the leverage to handles bigger vessels and volumes it also has the effect of GPHA. So yes it is a game-changer.”
On his part, deputy operational manager Marshall Oil & Gas Services Steven Nana Andoh indicated that the new bulk terminal brings improved safety procedures with regard to operations at the port.
“GPHA used to own the old jetty, as part of the port expansion, we were given this concession to build a new liquid bulk terminal to be operated by Marshall Oil. We have brought improvement, in terms of safety and maintenance .with the safety at the old jetty we used to connect the vessel and the pipeline with hoses, with that sometimes we had spillages and also because it is manual it has the effect of the people connecting the hoses. With the new oil jetty, we have brought an improvement, instead of connecting with the hoses we are connecting with Marine Loading Arm –MLA. With this we don’t need human intervention, everything is done remotely “
Meanwhile, the Takoradi Branch manager of Inchcape Shipping Services Chris Donkor agents of the commercial tanker vessel, GH PARKS reiterated the new bulk terminal will serve immensely in the interest of bulk distribution companies BDC’S.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Emmanuel Ohene-Gyan