5.12.4
Improve
and
Introduce
Efficient
Handling
Equipment
The
Ghana
Ports
and
Harbours
Authority
(GPHA)
has
a
dedicated
container
terminal
where
three
(3)
Ship-‐To-‐Shore
(STS)
gantry
cranes
and
four
(4)
Rubber
Tyre
Gantry
(RTG)
cranes
are
used
to
offload
containers
from
ships.
The
new
equipment
works
much
faster
than
the
cranes
on
the
ships.
5.12.5
Expand
Facilities
and
Reduce
Container
Clearance
Times
to
Decongest
Ports
According
to
the
GPHA,
clearance
at
the
ports
involves
several
agencies
with
CEPS
being
the
lead
agency.
GPHA
in
helping
reduce
clearance
times
has
as
a
policy
that
all
secondary
handling
of
cargo
should
not
be
done
in
the
port
area.
The
authority
has
established
Inland
Clearance
Depots
(ICDs)
where
cargos
are
to
be
taken.
This
has
freed
up
the
port
area
thus
reducing
the
turnaround
time
for
ships.
The
Ghana
Haulers
Association
notes
that
GPHA
has
created
a
transit
yard
where
transactions
can
be
completed
when
the
main
Port
is
congested.
Trucks
are
allowed
to
stay
at
this
yard
for
a
period
of
24
hours.
The
Ghana
Shippers
Council
also
acknowledges
that
with
the
completion
of
quay
2,
efficiency
has
increased
at
the
ports.
Meridian
Ports
Services
(MPS)
has
been
granted
the
concession
to
operate
the
container
terminal
area
of
the
Tema
Port.
Under
the
agreement,
MPS
is
exclusively
responsible
for
managing,
stevedoring
and
handling
all
containers
at
the
port.
GPHA
is
reviewing
a
Master
Plan
drawn
in
2000
which
called
for
a
second
container
terminal
to
be
constructed
at
the
Western
part
of
the
Tema
port.
The
authority
believes
that
towards
the
end
of
the
year,
a
decision
will
be
reached
with
regard
to
the
second
container
terminal.
5.12.6
Dredging
of
Ports
Should
Continue
to
Increase
Water
Depths
to
Accommodate
Larger
Vessels
GPHA
is
continuing
with
dredging
of
ports
as
some
vessels
have
requested
for
depths
of
12.5
meters.
The
authority
is
considering
this
as
previous
targets
were
12
meters.
107