Authorities at the Takoradi Port in the Western Region are celebrating the successful handling and shipping of close to 700,000 metric tonnes of raw manganese to China within the first three months of 2019.
Four vessels with a loading capacity of over 160,000 metric tonnes and a draft of minus 18 meters carried out the operation 4 nautical miles off the Takoradi Port.
“The first vessel, Genko Claudios came in and loaded 160,000 metric tonnes of manganese in January. The second vessel came to loaded one 175,000 metric tonnes in February. MV Semirio is the third vessel and also loaded 175,000 metric tonnes”.
“The fourth vessel is Bulk Integrity. That vessel also loaded 175,000 metric tonnes of manganese”, an elated Marketing and Public Relations Manager of the Takoradi Port Peter Amo Bediako told 3news.com
Of significance is the fact that since the construction of the port some ninety years ago no vessel with such loading capacity and draft of minus 18 meters has called at the port.
“Apart from the first vessel Genko Claudios that loaded below one hundred and seventy thousand metric tonnes of manganese the rest all did above one hundred and seventy thousand metric tonnes. MV Semirio, for example, sailed with a draft of minus 18 meters and that is an important milestone for Takoradi port”.
All vessels were successfully loaded 4 nautical miles away from the port at a time when the security of port limits for other ports in the sub region is becoming insecure.
Peter Amo Bediako observed that the successful loading operations are ample testimony that the port limits are the safety for any ship operation in the sub region.
“This is evidence that the port limits are very safe. The high level security in the port and at it limits is due to effective collaboration between the port security, the marine police, the navy, the BNI and national security.”
He said “all these measures are to position Ghana as the preferred corridor for not only the domestic market but also the land-lock countries of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.
Manganese export
Peter Amo Bediako revealed that in 2017 manganese exports totaled two million metric tonnes.
He said manganese exports rose to 4.2 million metric tonnes representing 48 percent of total traffic and 78 percent of total exports at the Takoradi port.
Mr. Amo Bediako explained the increase in manganese export is due to an increase in the demand for the resource in China.
By Eric Adjie|3news.com|Ghana