Management of Tema Shipyard taking the media through some of their operations.
THE CHIEF Executive Officer (CEO) of the Tema Shipyard Limited, Captain Francis Kwesi Micah, says the facility is poised to repair 42 vessels this year to beat its target for last year.
According to him, with about 10 fishing and offshore vessels at anchorage, awaiting their turn to berth at the shipyard for repair works, the company will surely achieve its target by close of the year.
Since the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) took over the operations of the shipyard, the dry dock has been very busy.
For instance, between July and December 2016, the facility worked on 18 vessels. Prior to the taking over by the GPHA, January to June 2016 saw the shipyard work on only six vessels with 34 vessels calling at the dock last year for various works to be carried out on them.
Last year, government instructed the GPHA to inject an amount of GH¢13.4 million to revive the shipyard. This, among other factors, has contributed to the current success story of the facility.
During a tour of the facility, the CEO said that management of the shipyard used a substantial part of the money to procure some essential machinery and used the rest to refurbish the infrastructural facilities in the company in order to boost the stock of equipment for operational activities.
He indicated that the investment has caused the turning point of the shipyard to attract six investors who have expressed interest in the facility.
According to him, the successful bidder would, among other things, revamp, manage and operate the facility according to terms of agreement.
He expected that oil vessels that dock at the shipyard would increase proportionally, especially when 5,000 vessels on the average call at the Tema and Takoradi ports after Ghana had discovered oil in commercial quantity.
From Vincent Kubi, Tema