Takoradi Port receives two Shiploaders and Eco-Hopper to enhance turnaround time
The Port of Takoradi in the Western Region has received two (2) ship loaders and an eco-hopper at its Dry Bulk Terminal to enhance the operations of dry bulk activity at the Port.
The reception is the final piece to complete the full automaton of the new Dry Bulk Conveyer system meant to enhance dry bulk cargo (Manganese, Bauxite and Clinker) exports and imports handling operations at the Port.
Harbour Master at Port of Takoradi, Captain Richmond James Quayson, who supervised the berthing of the vessel carrying the equipment said the automation of the conveyer system positions the 16m deep and 800m long dry bulk terminal to receive capsize vessels.
He added that the improved turnaround time for operations will enhance ship turnaround time at the quay as well as reduce ship waiting time at anchorage.
The Director of Port at the Takoradi Port, Captain Ebenezer Afadzi lauded the shareholders, Management and staff of GPHA for the feat chalked.
He gave the assurance that the Port of Takoradi will efficiently run the newly installed equipment at the Dry Bulk Terminal for the benefit of GPHA in general and Ghana as a whole.
The offloading of the two ship loaders and the eco-hopper will take up to four days, whiles their installation and testing after that will take up to four weeks.
The significance of the two ship loaders and eco-hopper at the Port is to enable it to have a discharge capacity of 2500 MT/hour.
This means the new Conveyer System at the Port’s Dry Bulk Terminal 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 a loading rate of approximately 8000 MT/ 24hrs.
The installation of the Eco-hopper will also significantly reduce dust and other pollutant emissions, making operations at the port environmentally friendly.
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 GPHA.
Other aspects of the second phase include an administrative block, a workshop, a 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 (i.e. 16 meters deep).