Colombia eyes direct shipping route to Ghana to boost trade
The Vice President of Colombia, Francia Elena Márquez Mina, has disclosed her country’s interest in establishing a direct maritime route between Ghana and Colombia as part of efforts to deepen trade and investment relations between the two countries.
She said the proposed route was geographically feasible through one of Colombia’s two major ports and could significantly enhance commercial exchanges between West Africa and Latin America.
Vice President Márquez Mina also proposed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the ports of Colombia and Ghana to formalise and guide future cooperation in port development, logistics and maritime trade.
She made the remarks on Friday, December 12, 2025, when she led a high-level Colombian business delegation to the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority as part of an official visit aimed at exploring investment opportunities and strengthening bilateral economic ties.
The delegation was received on behalf of the Director-General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority by the Director of the Port of Tema, Tebon Zumah, together with other management officials of the Authority.
The visit focused on identifying areas of mutual business interest while enhancing economic and commercial collaboration between the two countries. Vice President Márquez Mina emphasised the strategic role of ports in national development and called for closer cooperation between ports in Colombia and Ghana to drive growth and shared prosperity.
Strategic vision for trade ties
Vice President Márquez Mina said Colombia was pursuing a broader vision of reconnecting with the global economy through strategic trade partnerships, adding that Ghana occupies a special place in that vision due to long-standing historical and cultural links.
She noted that strengthened port cooperation would help expand trade volumes, improve logistics efficiency and create economic opportunities that could positively impact livelihoods in both countries.
She further announced that Colombia will host an African Trade Forum in March 2026 and formally invited the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority to participate in the event.
The Vice President stressed the importance of transforming historical maritime routes, once associated with the transatlantic slave trade, into modern pathways for trade, partnership and mutual development.
Ghana welcomes port partnership
The Director of the Port of Tema, Tebon Zumah, welcomed the proposed collaboration and underscored the importance of efficient port infrastructure to the success of international trade.
He expressed support for exchange programmes between Ghanaian ports and sister ports in Colombia, describing them as key to promoting knowledge sharing, skills transfer and capacity building.
Mr. Zumah also highlighted Ghana’s strategic position as a maritime gateway to landlocked countries, including Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, noting that Colombian businesses could leverage Ghana’s ports to access these wider regional markets.
He further pointed to opportunities for tourism development, particularly through the introduction of passenger vessel services between the two countries.
As part of the visit, Vice President Márquez Mina and her delegation toured key facilities at the Port of Tema, including Meridian Port Services Terminal 3 and the Fruit Terminal, where they observed ongoing port operations and infrastructure development.
