Kofi Ampeah Woode
Ghana Navy (GN), in collaboration with the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) and other governmental agencies in the maritime domain, have resolved to create Transit Corridors for shipping, and a Secure Anchorage Area for maritime activities, to enhance the channelling of shipping through monitored corridors.
Speaking at the 2024 Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Annual Conference, on Thursday 22 February, 2024, at the Naval Headquarters, Ghana’s Navy Commander said that the ideation had been still in the pipeline for a while, since some agencies have not been comfortable with the involvement of private interests, and thus have resolved to actualize the concept by themselves, by April, 2024.
In deliberations with all stakeholders at the GMA, Admiral Yakubu said, all government agencies have committed to participating in an area that is deemed huge.
He continued to say that the conflict in the Read Seas area has resulted in an increase in shipping activities in the direction of the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) maritime area, irrespective of the long distances, thus creating an economy for refuelling, food restocking, dumping of refuse, crew change, and vessel maintenance.
Putting such structures in place as soon as possible, Admiral Yakubu said, would enhance the opportunity of capturing a chunk of the economy created, which seems to be directed to South Africa, Mozambique, and Togo, although most of the shipping lines have expressed preference to working in Ghana.
By Kofi Ampeah-Woode
