Maritime News & Business Times: Tema has moved to 24-hour gate operations this year. What prompted that change?
Port Operations Director: Truck queuing had become a genuine bottleneck, particularly during peak import periods. Extending gate hours was the fastest lever we had to pull while longer-term investments in off-dock yard capacity come online. It is not a complete fix on its own, but it has already made a measurable difference to turnaround times inside the gate.
Maritime News & Business Times: How does Takoradi's role differ from Tema's in your modernisation plans?
Port Operations Director: Takoradi's growth is much more tied to offshore oil and gas support activity than general containerised trade, so the investment priorities are different — approach channel depth, quayside space for supply vessels, warehousing for oilfield equipment. We recently completed dredging works there specifically to support that role.
Maritime News & Business Times: What is the biggest constraint you see over the next few years?
Port Operations Director: Honestly, it is less about the port itself and more about what happens after cargo leaves the gate — road capacity, border post efficiency for transshipment cargo heading to the Sahel. We can only move as fast as the rest of the corridor allows.