Offshore oil and fishing vessels which dock at the Tema Shipyard for repair works are expected to increase due to plans by the government to enter into an agreement with a private investor to redevelop the facility to make it more attractive.

The facility, which in the past was finding it difficult to attract vessels because of its poor state, leading to several protests by the workers has now witnessed improvement following a GHC13.4 million capital injection from the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) in 2017.

The money came in the form of procurement of some essential machinery in a bid to boost the stock of equipment of the company for operational activities.

As a result of steps which had been taken by the current management to improve on the conditions of the facility, Shipyard has since January this year had 30 vessels docking at the facility for repairs.

Sources at the Shipyard also hinted that some 9 vessels are also expected to dock at the facility for repair works very soon.

Meanwhile, management of Shipyard are in high expectation of meeting its target of handling about 42 vessels by the close of this year.

It would be recalled that the Transport Minister Kwaku Ofori Asiamah on Tuesday, October 16, 2018, announced that six companies have been shortlisted so far for them to go through competitive tendering process for the most qualified one to be selected to take over the management of the Shipyard.

The successful bidder, the minister explained, will among other things expected to revamp, manage and operate the facility according to terms of agreement.

With the launching of the maiden oil and gas licensing bid rounds last Monday, it is also expected that oil vessels that dock at the shipyard will be increase proportionally.

A visit to the Tema Shipyard on Friday by a team of journalists revealed that the Shipyard which hitherto was dormant was being operationalized as workers were seen busily working on some vessels.