Takoradi — MV Fair Partner, a heavy lift carrier, two ship loaders and an eco-hoper arrived at the Port of Takoradi, from Dubai, at the weekend.
It is the final component for the installation and automation of the newly constructed dry bulk terminal conveyor system at the port.
The completion of the conveyer system automation at the Port, is meant to enhance dry bulk cargo, namely manganese, bauxite and clinker exports and imports handling operations at Ghana's premier commercial sea port.
The three equipment, are to contribute to the efficiency and improve operations of the new dry bulk terminal at the Takoradi Port.
According to the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), the construction of the dry bulk conveyor system and installation of the ship loaders and eco hopper are part of the second phase of the dry bulk terminal project, solely owned and operated by the authority.
Other aspects of the second phase include: an administrative block, a workshop, switching station, substations and complete pavement of the terminal and access road to the terminal.
In the first phase, an 800m quay wall was constructed with berth pockets dredged to minus 16meters chart datum that is 16 meters deep.
The Harbour Master at Port of Takoradi, Captain Richmond James Quayson, who supervised the berthing of the MV Fair Partner, explained that the offloading of the two ship loaders and the eco hopper would take up to four days, while installation and testing of the system would take up to four weeks.
He said the automation of the conveyor system had positioned the 16m deep and 800m long dry bulk terminal to receive capsised vessels.
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The new development at the dry bulk terminal, Capt. Quayson stated would improve and enhance turnaround time for ships at the quay as well as reducing their waiting time at anchorage.
The Harbour Master said the equipment with a discharge capacity of 2,500 Metric Tonnes (MT) per hour of the new conveyer system, can load a total of up to 120, 000 tonnes of bauxite and manganese in 48 hours, a remarkable improvement over the current manual grab system with loading rate of approximately 8000 MT in a 24 hour period.
The Director of Port of Takoradi, Captain Ebenezer Afadzi, lauded the shareholders, management and staff of GPHA for the feat chalked in the development of Ghana's premier sea port.
He assured that the Takoradi Port would efficiently run the newly installed equipment at the dry bulk terminal for the benefit of GPHA in general and Ghana.
