The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) has acquired a crawler crane for the oil and gas terminal at the Takoradi Port, Captain Owusu Koranteng, acting Director of Port, said on Thursday.

The “Manitowoc 600” crane, which is believed to be the biggest of its kind in West Africa, would be able to lift all kinds of cargo, including heavy machinery for the Takoradi Port expansion work and for the oil and gas rig offshore, he said.

Captain Koranteng was speaking to the media after inspecting the knock-down parts of the crane on board United States Vessel, Ocean Freedom, at the Takoradi Port.

He said the assembling of the crane would begin on November 17, this year, and would take two weeks to complete before the crane starts operation by December 7.

Captain Koranteng said manufacturers of the crane had already arrived and had selected eight Ghanaians for training for maintenance purposes.

He said the oil and gas terminal was expected to be completed before the 2016 deadline and dredging of the Port was also expected to begin by December 10.

Captain Koranteng said work on the breakwater had been completed.