Terminals in Ghana

=Tema Port=

Tema port is the bigger of Ghana's two sea ports and located on the country's east coast, 21 nautical miles off the north-east coast of Accra. Although the Port at Tema is the younger of the two seaports, as of 2011 it handled 80% of the nation's international cargo.

=Takoradi Port=

The port of Takoradi opened in 1928. Takoradi, the regional capital of the Western Region of Ghana, lies around midway between the ports of Tema and Abidjan.

In 2010 the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) announced that it would expand the port to enable it to serve the needs of the oil and gas industry. The authority earmarked $500 million for the expansion programme. According to the port director Richard Anamoo, lack of adequate space at the Western Port, oil companies were forced to used the Western Naval Base and the Takoradi Air Force Base in order to package their products.

The works were to include the development of the existing manganese terminal into an oil service terminal. Phase one was projected to cost around $200 million and was due to be completed in 2012. Completion of the second phase was planned for 2014.

Press reports in 2011 suggested that the oil exploration industry in Ghana had had a negative impact on the port's revenues, as the arrival of large numbers of oil vessels made it difficult for traditional vessels to berth due to space restrictions. These traditional cargo vessels were said to be moving to berths in neighbouring Cote d'Ivoire.

=Proposed LNG Import Terminal=

In September 2011 the The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) provided a grant of $691,000 to the Ghana Energy Commission to fund a feasibility study for a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) import terminal in Ghana. The project is estimated to cost $200- $250 million and would be implemented by a competitively selected private sector operator, according to Oil Voice.

The terminal would comprise of a ship-mounted terminal, storage and regasification unit, including the infrastructure needed to transmit the gas to shore, such as mooring and pipelines. Press reports claim that the project is a high priority for the Ghanaian government, as it should help Ghana to meet growing demand for gas to fuel the country's thermal power plants, which currently suffer supply shortages. The project would allow the Government of Ghana to import LNG from the international market to supplement the country's own gas supply and ensure a reliable flow of fuel. =References=