NEW VESSEL TO DEEPEN TRADE DOCKS IN TEMA (PAGE 55, DEC 17, 2010)

A geared container vessel 'CMA CGM Africa One' with a capacity of 3,600 teu (twenty equivalent units) and designed to meet specifications of African ports for quick delivery of goods first docked at the Tema harbour.
The ship christened 'Nassau ' to link Asia to West Africa trade route is geared towards independent port operations with its own in-built cranes which maximise the loading of goods at shallow draft ports .
It is currently the largest vessel to enter the waters of Africa since 2007 when the largest vessel entered with a capacity of 2,500 teu .
It was built and delivered in August 2010 at the Hanjin Heavy Industries shipyard in Hong Kong.
Briefing the media on the vessel, the Commercial Manager for CMA CGM Group, on behalf of its subsidiary in Ghana ,Delmas Shipping Ghana, Mr Geoffrey Cole said the ship was one of the four to be delivered later .
He noted that the capacity of the vessels had been exclusively designed and built with flexibility considering the in built cranes , draught and length which made it operate autonomously where necessary in all major African ports irrespective of the level of equipment and the characteristics of the port .
Mr Cole said bigger vessels reduce cost per unit the freight rate of imported goods and, therefore, offered competitive rates for importers and exporters .
He said vessels of a certain draft and length had had difficulties in berthing at the Tema port, especially because of the varying berthing space, but the new vessels had their own mechanisms which made them fit in uniquely.
Mr Cole said with the four new container vessels ,delays in loading and discharging would be a thing of the past and make sea transport more dynamic .
The General Manager of the Delmas Shipping Ghana of the CMA CGM Group , Mr Hugh Curtis, observed that the innovative design of the vessel CMA CGM Africa One would allow a high quality service in African ports, especially Tema port which had one of the best levels of productivity in West Africa .
He said the vessel docked with 700 containers from Asia would sail with 800 containers for export .
Mr Curtis said the objective of introducing the bigger vessel was to have them operate directly between Asia and Africa to promote trade .
He disclosed that CMA CGM Group is a major stakeholder in the development of the Ghanaian economy and with the new big vessels entering its fleet,the Group had emphasised its commitment to Africa .
Mr Curtis stated that Ghana had a fast growing economy in the sub -Saharan region and had been an important market for the Group hence its four direct weekly services from Far East,Northern Europe and the Mediterranean operating as number one operator of exports out of the country carrying mainly cocoa, perishable goods ,foodstuff and timber whilst being a major carrier of Ghana's large variety of imported goods from Asia .
The Captain of the vessel,Andriy Pakholchuk from Ukraine in an interview said the technicalities of the vessel was comparably the same with other vessels but only needed a little more care to manoeuvre because of the size and weight .
He said the vessel was capable of making a trip under 30 days from Asia to Ghana and also had a compartment for passengers who would want to experience sea journey and all the comfort that went with it.
Some importers and exporters who were on board the vessel said they were happy to have a direct service to enable them do fast business void of demurrage.