Construction of a new harbor craft jetty at Tema port by MPS and GPHA for enhanced efficiency
The gang at Meridian Ports Service, in cahoots with Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, are pumping up the efficiency at Tema Port by erecting a neat harbor craft jetty at Terminal 3.
This nifty jetty's main purpose is to slash vessel idle time at the terminal, making it rivals the turnaround times of major world-class ports. All to better accommodate harbor crafts, like trusty tugboats, for their close-quarters vessel handling services.
Prior to the jetty's grand opening, tug boats and marine staff were a good 30-minute trek away from the terminal, leading to some inconvenient delays in vessel turnaround times.
It's only been a smidge over a month since the jetty's launch, but operators of the terminal are already expecting a 64-minute plummet in the average vessel idle time for departure by June 2023, and a whopping 94-minute drop by year's end. In the spirit of lofty dreams, Emmanuel Ohene-Addo, the Operations Manager at Meridian Ports Services, declared, "We're aiming for 60 minutes, just like what happens in world-class terminals!"
Before the jetty's arrival, the rodeo at the end of 2022 saw average vessel idle time for arrival sitting pretty at 54 minutes, while the departure time tagged along at a hefty 154 minutes. Ohene-Addo adds, "Same with the arrival time, we're aiming to bring it down to 40 minutes by June, then 30 minutes by year's end."
On the Eye on Port program, Ohene-Addo let slip that Meridian Ports Service and Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority have bigger plans. They're working on an office complex to house the marine personnel and MPS' operational staff, geared towards streamlining the process of berthing and unberthing cargo vessels.
He stressed that the hefty investments in infrastructure at Meridian Ports Service's Terminal 3 are all geared towards delivering the caliber of services big leagues like world-class terminals have to offer.
Captain Francis Kwesi Micah, the Harbour Master at the Port of Tema, chimed in on this matter, disclosing that the Port Authority has lined up the purchases of two new tugs and the training of additional pilots to boost vessel handling services at the Port.
Micah added that, on top of a new harbor craft jetty and an accompanying office space, all agree with the Authority's vision to seal every gap in the port supply chain. These initiatives get us one step closer to making the Port of Tema the leading container hub and a trade beacon in the region.
"By nailing the vessel turnaround game here, we can maintain our share of cargo, shipping traffic, and even jack it up, keeping us at the pinnacle of efficiency," Micah stated.
He noted that, by shifting some of its craft and personnel to Terminal 3, where most container vessel operations happen, the Authority can save on the fuel for those harbor crafts as well.
Based on the available information, official projections for June 2023 vessel turnaround improvements at the Port of Tema specifically due to harbor craft jetty construction are not outlined in recent public sources. Reports from May 2025 lean more towards future infrastructure improvements rather than previous timelines or specific early-2023 targets.
While the Port of Tema has seen ongoing improvements in capacity and efficiency, there are no official projections or confirmed improvements in vessel turnaround time specifically for June 2023 or the end of 2023 attributable to harbor craft jetty construction. The most relevant projection is for significant improvements when the harbor craft jetty is completed in early 2026.
- The investments in infrastructure at Meridian Ports Service's Terminal 3, such as the harbor craft jetty, are aimed at delivering services akin to world-class terminals.
- The construction of the harbor craft jetty at Terminal 3 is expected to significantly reduce vessel idle time for departure, with potential drops of 64 minutes by June 2023 and 94 minutes by the end of the year.
- Official projections for June 2023 vessel turnaround improvements at the Port of Tema due to harbor craft jetty construction are not outlined in recent public sources, with reports from May 2025 focusing more on future infrastructure improvements.
- To boost vessel handling services and maintain operational efficiency, the Port Authority plans to purchase two new tugs and train additional pilots, in addition to the new harbor craft jetty and office space at Terminal 3.
