Law to restrict foreign vessels in domestic trade in the offing

The Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) is working towards the promulgation of legislation that seeks to reserve trading activities within Ghanaian waters exclusively to Ghanaian registered vessels.

The law will restrict the use of foreign vessels in the country’s domestic coastal trade and promote the development of indigenous maritime business.

At the celebration of this year’s World Maritime Day in Accra yesterday, the Director General of the GMA, Mr Kwame Owusu, said the authority was set to begin stakeholder consultations on the legislation.

The event, celebrated globally to draw attention to the need to develop and implement maritime strategies, was on the theme: “Connecting Ships, Ports and People.”

Maritime University

The celebration was also used to launch the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Regional Maritime University in Accra.

The legislation, Mr Owusu explained, would encourage local ownership of businesses within the maritime sector and create business opportunities for the local people.

He expressed concern at the low participation of Ghanaians in the maritime sector, as most businesses were in foreign hands.

Providers regulation

He said the GMA had also completed work on a regulation for shipping service providers with the intention of regulating the activities of the providers such as freight forwarders, shipping agents and other relevant bodies, with a view to ensuring an efficient, cost effective and orderly provision of shipping services.

The Minister of Transport, Mr Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, in a keynote address read on his behalf, said the government’s commitment to team up with the port sector to introduce technologies, remove excessive barriers and create safety and security nets was the key driver towards the creation of a sustainable maritime industry that could improve the country’s competitiveness within the global arena.

The Vice Chancellor of the Regional Maritime University, Professor Elvis Nyarko, for his part, appealed to the government to provide the necessary resources to complete a lecture block which was initiated in 2003.

Writer’s email: della.russel@graphic.com.gh