Meridian Port Services Limited (MPS) has successfully completed the entire Phase One works of the Tema Port Expansion Project also known as Terminal 3 by end of April, 2020. The Project, which was completed ahead of scheduled, was attributed to a combination of great team work, solid project finance, and determined shareholders.
“Per the terms of the Concession, MPS Terminal 3 was expected to go-live on June 28, 2019 on two (2) berths and the entire Phase 1 works were due to be completed on June 28, 2020.
Both due dates were successfully achieved and works were completed ahead of schedule. Combination of great team work, solid project finance and determent shareholders were among the main contributors to the success in delivering this mega infrastructure ahead of the contractual date and in 3.5 years (41 months),” a statement from MPS said.
CEO of MPS, Mohammed Samara, in a short meeting, highlighted that this has been a great experience for most of the work force who were Ghanaians touching on all aspects of engineering (civil, geotechnical, marine, hydro, mechanical, electrical, electronic etc.) and gaining in-depth knowledge with the integrated safety and quality controls.
While expressing immense optimism that more gains could be made from all stakeholders working together, and urged stakeholders in the port community to strive towards achieving global status in long and short terms measures.
“This major development requires that each member of the port community work towards the common goal of reaching global standards through consistent long and short term efforts.”
And further stated that Since the Go-Live of Terminal 3 in July 2019, we have witnessed a steady increase in productivity and flow of container traffic with the implementation of the highly efficient integrated systems and operational processes which has created huge benefits for freight forwarders, shipping lines, importers, exporters and most importantly creating the safe environment and providing sophisticated tools and technology in the hands of respective authorities to enable them to effectively safe guard the state revenue and boarder security.
Board Chairman of the MPS, Dr. Edmund Osei Tutu Prempeh, remarked: “Today is truly a celebration of success, this edifice is evidence that when we put our minds to great things as a country we can achieve because we have a dynamic human resource base as a nation.
Each member of the team from the management, contractors to the operations team have contributed massively to the completion of this edifice which is now being fully manned by local workforce. The responsibility of it living up to its expectation depends on the Operations Team, I have no doubt that they are squarely up to the task to complete our economic transformation to become a hub.”
Construction Manager, Matthieu Ferraro, recapped the composition of the work done by the collaboration of all contractors and their associates which has resulted in a fully functional terminal.
The Phase 1 scope of works included building a 1,000 m long wharf which consists of 3 berths and 98 Hectares (242 Acres) terminal facility on land reclaimed from the sea with all drainage, sewage, water, fire, electrical and IT services, 45 million paving blocks laid down, a 12 MW back-up power station, major facilities including administration buildings for MPS and the Authorities, a maintenance workshop, a 60 bay unstuffing shed for Customs, 6 scanners, several gate facilities, a fire plant, sewage treatment facilities, 1400 reefer container plugs.
The new habour in details
The new harbour basin was created on a 3-kilometre long beach directly on the Atlantic Ocean and right on the Meridian Timeline. Building into the sea, from the beach the breakwater root goes 1,550metre into the ocean with a two-kilometre-long arm extending eastwards from the root of the breakwater parallel to the quay wall. The 3,558-metre-long breakwater is harbouring a vast 450 hectares (1,110 Acres) of maritime waterfront.
It is also accessible through a 3,500metre long by 225-metre-wide Entrance Channel and into a turning basin/circle of 500m diameter. The Access Channel has been dredged to -18.7m, Turning Basin to -17.4m and -16.9m by the quay wall to accommodate 16m draft vessels to dock alongside all berths.
