As part of Takoradi Port’s expansion, particularly the oil and gas terminal, the vessel “Ocean Freedom” has arrived at the port and is expected to start work by December 7 this year.

The cargo, which is an exceptional crawler crane, has a lifting capacity of 400 tonnes and is to be used for the general service area of the oil and gas hub.

“Which means, as soon as the crane is assembled, we will be able to lift every type of cargo that can be prepared, brought in or be loaded at the port out of the oil and gas terminal to the oil rig and supply vessel,” Capt. James Owusu-Koranteng, Acting Director of Takoradi Port, told the media after inspecting the vessel.

According to him, the crane was loaded from Houston, Texas, in the USA -- this type of crane is a Monitowac 600 and has a reach of 40 metres. Assembling the crane will begin today (November 17, 2014 – and we hope to be completed within two weeks so it can start operations by December 7, 2014 at the port.

He said it is expected that Sub-Sea 7 will complete its portion of the hub by the middle of June next year -- “the actual load out through the crane to the oil rig will be somewhere next year,” he said.

“We intend to use this crane for preparation and completion of the hub -- the crane has crawling equipment which can be moved anywhere provided the bearing capacity of the land can carry it,” he added.

He pointed out that the assembling of the crane will be done by the manufacturers -- already, the manufacturers have arrived and inspected the site where they are going to do it.

He said eight Ghanaians are being trained in the assembling and maintenance processes -- however, it will be a gradual handing over.

Also, he said the operator is being brought from the USA and that he is going to operate for exactly three months -- and his contract spells out that within three months he should have trained three of the local people who are to operate the crane.

Capt. Owusu-Koranteng pointed out that the financiers are Sub-Sea 7 -- there is a deal between Sub-Sea 7, Viking Offshore and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA).

“The business concept is that Sub-Sea 7 brought the crane and we will use it in general services for the oil and gas terminal -- revenue that accrues will be shared between Sub-Sea 7, Viking -- who is assisting in the development, and the GPHA which is the landlord.

“On general port expansion, section A of phase-one has been completed: that is a 1.1kilometre breakwater -- we are expecting the dredger by the first week in December and it will start dredging on December 10, beginning the part-two of the phase-one.”