In a signing ceremony the Minister of Transport, Hon. Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, along with the newly appointed Director General of the Ghana Maritime Authority, Mr. Thomas Kofi Alonsi and the Director General Andreas Nordseth from the Danish Maritime Authority, signed a contract for three-year collaboration. The contract was also signed by the Danish Minister for Industry Business and Financial Affairs.

The signing marked the continuation of the maritime collaboration between Ghana and Denmark which started in 2015. The second phase will further enhance e-navigation in Ghana, support implementation of international maritime regulations and train tug boat captains in advanced simulators in Denmark.

“We are very pleased to have gained so much from the maritime cooperation between Denmark and Ghana. With the continuation of the cooperation, we will work even closer together” Andreas Nordseth, Director General of the Danish Maritime Authority, said during the signing ceremony.

Ghana first mover on e-navigation
In 2017 Ghana was the first in Africa and fifth in the world to pilot an e-navigation platform as a result of the initial collaboration.

“We have come a long way on enhancing our compliance to international, maritime regulations. Additionally, the e-navigation platform is revolutionary in making navigation in Ghanaian water safer by e.g. broadcasting Maritime Safety Information digitally and in real time” the newly appointed director general of the Ghana Maritime Authority, Mr. Thomas Kofi Alonsi, added.

In the coming years the platform will be further advanced by e.g. updating the map of Lake Volta with submerged tree stumps making vast areas of the lake more accessible.

Enhancing the Blue Economy in Ghana
Ghana is one of the foremost countries in the region to comply with international regulations and this collaboration will ensure that Ghana stays in a leading position.

As part of the collaboration a total of four tug boat captains from Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority will improve their qualification using ship simulators which are able to resemble the new Tema Port Terminal and the much bigger ships calling port there.

“Ghana is a long-lasting partner country to Denmark and an important maritime hub to West Africa. Continuing this maritime collaboration will provide capacity building support to the new Tema Port Terminal and further strengthen the ties between our two, seafaring nations,” H. E. Tove Degnbol, Ambassador of Denmark to Ghana, said during the signing ceremony.

Ghana and Denmark commit on maritime cooperation until 2021.