Tema, July 14, GNA -- A Transocean Drilling Rig, 'MG Hulme Jnr' from Nigeria, on Saturday berthed at Tema Port for maintenance, modification and upgrading.

It is the first of several offshore drilling rigs expected to take advantage of a range of services offered by Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) through Epeus Group of Companies, an international project management company for the next five years.

Mr George Karstein Irvine, Epeus Director for African Affairs, said the rig would stay in Ghana for 60 days during which about 200 people would be employed in addition to its 120 crew members to work on it. He said his outfit had signed a contract with GPHA because Tema port was the most conducive port in West Africa.

Mr Irvine said available records indicated that drilling rig operators had experienced significant delivery problems from some shipyard and port facilities in West Africa.

He explained that for a drilling rig to operate efficiently, it needed to undergo Special Periodic Survey once every five years for maintenance, modification and upgrading. Mr Irvine gave the assurance that, Epeus would train, coach and mentor local engineers from Aquatec, a Diving and Marine Company and other companies to international standards to stimulate growth of local capacity. 14 July 07