Ghana Maritime Authority: no reduction in shipping during the epidemic

On April 15 the Ghana Maritime Authority said that the volume of cargo ships in the country had not declined significantly because of concerns about the global economic recession and shortages of food and other necessities.

During a visit to the port of Tema by the Director of the Authority, Mr. Thomas Kofi Alonsi, Captain Emmanuel Ankamah, Deputy Director of the Ministry of ship Inspection and Maritime Security of GMA, said: despite the global blockade, the cargo ships still docked at the port of Ghana.

GMA, which oversees Ghana's marine industry, has issued guidelines similar to the (IMO) of the International Maritime Organization to all port authorities to ensure that no crew member imports the new coronavirus into the country when the ship enters the port.

Mr. Alonsi is the Director of Management's two Vice Presidents for Operations and Technical, Financial and Administrative Management, Mr. Daniel Appianin and Mr. Yaw Akosa Antwi, the Chief Financial Officer, Dr. Kwasi Wereko Awuah, and the Deputy Director of Environmental and Safety Standards, Captain Inusah Abdul-Kadir, who assessed compliance with the given directives at (Tema Port) in Port Tema.

Captain Ankamah, head of the Office of GMA Tema, told managers that limited but key staff should be properly dressed and briefed them on the safety regulations to be followed in carrying out inspection and inspection duties. As part of the measures, he said, the Port Health Board was ordered to go to Anchorage to screen crew members travelling to the country to identify symptoms of the virus.