DHV Builds New Ports in Ghana

Dutch engineering and consultancy firm DHV will be responsible for the construction management of eleven new fishing ports in Ghana.

Construction will start in summer 2012 and be completed in 2017. The fishing ports will improve the standard of living of Ghanaians in the coastal provinces and lead to a more durable way of fish consumption. The cost of construction totals 200 million dollars.

The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority had earlier contracted DHV to produce the master plans and designs for the ports. Ben Reeskamp, DHV’s Director of Ports and Waterways, said: ‘Together with the local population we examined their needs and the places where the ports could best be built. This provided the basis for making the designs and preparing the contract documents.’ Ghana is financing the construction work by means of Chinese loans.

Ghana’s coastline is 539 km long and very inhospitable. Approximately 20 percent of the population relies on fishing or related activities. For more than a century Ghana has grappled with the question of how to build the small fishing ports. Loading and unloading currently take place on the beach and the boats and canoes cannot always cope with the heavy waves. Reeskamp: ‘Building the ports will provide better protection for the boats and it will be possible to load and unload hygienically in the lee of a breakwater. Thanks to cold stores the caught fish will be storable for much longer and this will give Ghana’s economy a significant boost.’

Land will be reclaimed and quays and breakwaters will be built in the new port areas. Reeskamp: ‘The client wants to build small modern ports, including a fish market, port buildings, good infrastructure and crèches.’

DHV is assisting in the selection of the contractors and is also responsible for supervising the construction work. Reeskamp: ‘We know every detail of the designs of the ports and in addition to drawing up the contract documents we also prepared the environmental impact assessments.’

The eleven new ports will be distributed along the coast. There will be ports in Axim, Dixcove, Winneba, Senya Beraku, Elmina, James Town, Gomoa Fetteh, Moree, Mumford, Teshie and Keta.

[mappress]

Dredging Today Staff, May 30, 2012