President John Dramani Mahama has officially broken ground for the construction of a $98.41 million Berth 19 facility at the Takoradi Port, a project expected to significantly increase the port’s capacity to handle bulk cargo.
The 300-metre-long facility, with a capacity to accommodate vessels of up to 75,000 deadweight tonnes, is being funded directly from the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority’s (GPHA) own resources.
The project is expected to be completed within 26 months.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, President Mahama said the new facility would address existing capacity constraints at the dry bulk terminal and strengthen the port’s ability to handle increasing volumes of mineral exports and imported industrial materials.
He explained that the dry bulk terminal plays a strategic role in Ghana’s economy, particularly in the export of mineral ores and the importation of clinker for cement manufacturing companies operating in the western part of the country.
“The dry bulk terminal has been constrained. And so there has been the need to expand the dry bulk terminal so that we can handle more of the ores that are being exported and also handle more of the dry bulk products that are coming in,” he said.
President Mahama noted that significant investments had been made in the expansion of the Takoradi Port since he first broke ground for its redevelopment in 2012.
He said the port has undergone major improvements and now handles considerably higher cargo volumes than it did in the past.
The President also highlighted the importance of dredging works undertaken at the port, which have increased its depth from approximately eight metres to 16 metres, allowing it to accommodate significantly larger vessels.
He observed that the Takoradi Port had evolved from its original colonial-era role as an export point for commodities such as timber, cocoa, bauxite and manganese into a modern facility handling both imports and exports.
Its expanded operations now include a container terminal, an oil and gas services terminal and the dry bulk terminal.
President Mahama said the new Berth 19 facility would complement these existing operations and position the port to take advantage of growing demand for maritime trade and logistics services.
He expressed optimism that the project would be completed within the scheduled 26-month construction period, adding that government would return to commission the facility.
The President further linked the investment to Ghana’s broader economic transformation agenda, stressing that efficient port infrastructure was essential to improving trade competitiveness, attracting investment and generating revenue.
LISTEN TO PRESIDENT MAHAMA IN THE AUDIO BELOW 👇:
Story by: Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh(#RomeoWrites✍️) Presidential Affairs Correspondent | Ghana 🇬🇭
