The temporary allocation of an additional berth at the Tema Port for clinker discharge could help reduce cement production costs and ease pressure on prices if it significantly cuts vessel waiting times, the Chamber of Cement Manufacturers, Ghana (COCMAG) has said.
The Chamber said prolonged delays in discharging clinker, a key raw material for cement production, had increased demurrage and other port-related expenses for manufacturers.
Dr George Dawson-Ahmoah, Executive Secretary of COCMAG, said reducing those costs could ultimately ease pressure on the price of cement and, by extension, construction costs across the economy.
“If the cost of demurrage is reduced, or any other cost related to production is reduced, it affects your cost price,” he said.
His comments follow a September 11, 2026 engagement between the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe and port authorities to address delays in the discharge of clinker at the Tema Port.
The intervention comes as rising clinker import volumes put pressure on the port’s limited berthing capacity, resulting in longer vessel waiting times at anchorage.
According to COCMAG, the delays expose manufacturers to significant demurrage charges, which are ultimately factored into the cost of producing cement.
Dr Dawson-Ahmoah said the temporary berth could therefore provide immediate relief if it improves vessel turnaround and reduces the time ships spend waiting to discharge.
“We are hoping that at the end of this visit, there will be additional berths for the discharge of clinker to reduce the delay at anchorage, which actually comes with costs, which affect the production costs,” he said.
The economic impact extends beyond cement manufacturers, as higher cement costs can raise the cost of housing, commercial construction and public infrastructure projects.
For contractors and developers, increases in cement prices add to project costs and can affect project timelines, construction budgets and the affordability of new buildings.
Government infrastructure programmes could also face higher input costs when cement prices rise, potentially increasing the financial resources required to deliver roads, schools, hospitals and other public projects.
Dr Dawson-Ahmoah said manufacturers were not seeking higher cement prices but were responding to increases in their production costs.
“Cement manufacturers are not interested in cement prices. Absolutely not interested,” he said.
He said demurrage and other cost pressures had increased significantly this year compared with previous years, making improvements in port efficiency important for containing production costs.
“If the berth arrangement succeeds in reducing vessel waiting times, the savings could provide some relief to manufacturers and help limit further cost pressures on cement prices,” he said.
The Chamber said it would monitor the temporary berth arrangement and assess its impact on vessel turnaround times, demurrage charges and the overall cost of cement production.
The development highlights the broader economic importance of port efficiency, with delays in the movement of critical industrial inputs potentially feeding into production costs, consumer prices and the cost of doing business in Ghana.
