The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) has inaugurated a multipurpose vessel, MPV Gordon Anim at Tema to enhance maritime operations at the ports.
Named after a former director of the Tema and Takoradi ports, the vessel has 470 gross tonnage, 10-person crew capacity and an approximate speed of 12 knots as some of its features.
The Director General of GPHA, Michael Luguje, in a speech read on his behalf by the Director of Tema Port, Sandra Opoku, stated that, the strategic investment aligned with GPHA’s commitment to enhancing efficiency and safety at Ghana’s ports, ensuring they remained competitive and capable of accommodating modern maritime demands.
“The addition of MPV Gordon Anim to our fleet is not just a testament to the growth and dynamism of Ghana’s port industry but also a clear reflection of our commitment to improving operational efficiency, fostering economic growth, and strengthening Ghana’s position as a leading maritime hub in the sub-region,” he remarked.
He further explained that, the state-of-the-art MPV vessel was designed to cater for a wide range of maritime operations ranging from responding quickly to oil spills and other hazardous material discharges at sea to collecting floating debris or waste materials.
With the achievement of this feat, Mr Luguje reminded the GPHA to renew its commitment to operational excellence, environmental stewardship and customer satisfaction, adding that, the commissioning of the vessel was a step forward in its shared journey toward achieving those goals and positioning Ghana as a maritime gateway to Africa and beyond.
“This commissioning signifies not only an expansion of our capacity but also our readiness to embrace the future of maritime trade with advanced technology and sustainable practices,” he said.
According to Mr Luguje, naming the vessel after Gordon Anim was a symbolic gesture by the GPHA in recognising past leaders for their dedication, leadership and impact during their tenure, which helped shape the growth and modernisation of GPHA.
Such honours he said, were often a way to preserve their legacy and acknowledge their efforts in advancing the authority’s goals and strengthening Ghana’s maritime industry.
He advised that, the gesture should encourage all workers of the GPHA to continue to give off their best in the line of duty in order to be recognised for such honours even after they had retired from the authority.
Mr Luguje assured that the port authority would continue to create an enabling and business-friendly environment to enable stakeholders and partners go about their work and business in the most stress-free manner.
Mr Anim, who served the GPHA for 34 years rising through the ranks to the Director of Tema and Takoradi Ports expressed contentment for the gesture and the feats achieved by the GPHA over the years, hoping that the new vessel would help enhance the work of the authority.
FROM KEN AFEDZI, TEMA
