The Port of Takoradi registered one of its best performances in 2017 according to the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA).
Transit trade to the landlocked countries of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger increased by 152% - from 81 705 metric tonnes to 205 565 metric tonnes, with imports and exports recording growth of 35% and 29% respectively.
Container traffic increased by 10%, from 45 000 TEUs in the previous year to 53 000 TEU.
The GPHA noted that vessel calls at the port had also increased - by 25 vessels - while cargo throughput grew from 6 million metric tonnes in 2016 to 8 million metric tonnes last year
Port of Takoradi marketing and public affairs deputy manager, Peter Bediako, said that the significant growth could be attributed to the expanded bulk jetty, which enabled larger vessels to call at the port, as well as the partnership between the port and the new privately owned Takoradi Container Terminal.
“For the first time since the Takoradi port started transit trade, in 2017 the port started handling clinker and gypsum for cement factories which went a long way to increasing the profit of the port,” he added.
