Ghana Pushes Takoradi as Sahel Maritime Gateway as Mahama Superintends $137m Ship Repair Facility

Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has singled out the Takoradi Port for development into a major maritime gateway for the Sahel region, linking the port's expansion to a broader strategy of mineral processing, railway extension, and regional trade under the government's New Economy Programme.

The announcement, made during the presentation of the 2027 Budget Statement to Parliament, came just days after President John Dramani Mahama traveled to Takoradi to superintend the financial close of a $137 million ship repair and maintenance facility at the port—a project expected to position Ghana as a regional maritime services hub.

Takoradi as Sahel Gateway

Presenting the budget on November 12, Dr. Forson said the Takoradi Port would be developed as Ghana's principal maritime gateway serving landlocked countries in the Sahel, including Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. The plan is tied to a railway expansion that will begin in 2027 with domestic resources, connecting Takoradi to Nyinahin in the Ashanti Region through key mineral-producing towns such as Nsuta and Awaso .

By 2030, the railway is expected to extend northwards to Hamile in the Upper West Region, where a modern inland port will be developed to serve Sahelian countries. Dr. Forson said the railway "must power Ghanaian industries, support local processing, and create jobs for our people," adding that the goal is to "move our minerals towards greater value and our people towards greater prosperity" .

Project Shiprite: A 14-Year Journey

The $137 million facility, known as Project Shiprite, is being developed by Prime Meridian Docks Ghana Limited under a 25-year concession from the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority. It includes a 13,500-tonne lift-capacity floating drydock, a 200-metre jetty, and modern workshop infrastructure capable of servicing commercial vessels up to 200 metres long .

The project reached financial close after 14 years of development. President Mahama, speaking at the ceremony in Takoradi, noted the absence of major ship repair facilities on the Gulf Coast. "There is a lot of traffic, lot of vessels working on the Gulf Coast, and they either have to go to Europe for maintenance, or Durban in South Africa. So, this fills a very big vacuum," he said .

The financing package includes $94 million in syndicated senior debt led by Afreximbank, alongside the African Development Bank, Trade and Development Bank, and Petra Pension Schemes. ARM-Harith Infrastructure Investment provided equity from early development through financial close .

Economic and Environmental Impact

Once operational, the facility is expected to support up to 430 direct jobs, with 30 percent targeted for women through a $300,000 gender impact enhancement programme funded by the Private Infrastructure Development Group . The project is also expected to generate more than $50 million in annual revenue and create over 450 jobs in its first phase, according to Prime Meridian Docks CEO Stanley Ahorlu .

Beyond job creation, the facility promises significant environmental benefits. By bringing repair services closer to vessels operating in the Gulf of Guinea, it is expected to save approximately 704 metric tonnes of fuel per vessel rotation—an estimated 28,200 metric tonnes annually for 40 serviced vessels—and reduce CO₂ emissions by about 2.2 million metric tonnes over the project's life .

A Flagship of UK-Ghana Partnership

Project Shiprite was highlighted as a flagship maritime investment during the signing of the UK-Ghana Growth Partnership in June 2026. British High Commissioner to Ghana, Dr. Christian Rogg, described it as "a powerful expression" of shared economic ambitions and confidence in Ghana's future .

The facility will be operated by Rigmar Ghana Limited, part of the Interocean Group, serving as technical partner. Phase One is expected to be completed within 18 months .

The financial close ceremony also marked the commencement of Berth 19, a $98.41 million, 300-metre berth capable of accommodating vessels with a deadweight of 75,000 tonnes, with completion expected in 26 months .

Connecting the Dots

The Takoradi developments form part of a broader economic vision outlined in the 2027 Budget. Dr. Forson announced a $1.5 billion investment in mineral processing, targeting at least 50 percent local processing of manganese and bauxite by 2028 and a complete ban on raw exports by 2030. A 24-hour critical mineral processing enclave is planned for the Western Region .

President Mahama, speaking at the Shiprite ceremony, emphasized the Western rail corridor's commercial viability. "Of all the rail designs we have, the Western line is the most profitable because of the manganese, the bauxite, and all that," he said. "Even if you take containers up, you can bring bauxite or manganese or lithium down to the port" .

With the ship repair facility, the planned berth expansion, and the railway corridor to the Sahel, Takoradi is poised to transform from a regional port into a linchpin of Ghana's industrial and trade ambitions—a gateway not only for the nation but for its landlocked neighbors.