The government of Ghana is expanding berthing capacity at the Tema Port as part of efforts to ease prolonged delays facing cement manufacturers importing clinker and reduce the logistics costs feeding into cement production.
The Ministry of Transport, through the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), has agreed to dredge an additional berth at the Tema Port to allow larger vessels carrying clinker and other raw materials to berth and discharge more efficiently.
The intervention comes as Ghana’s cement industry faces mounting costs from delays at the country’s main port. Vessel waiting times for clinker shipments rose from an average of seven days in January to between 30 and more than 40 days in August, according to the Chamber of Cement Manufacturers, Ghana (COCMAG). The Chamber estimates that the industry incurred between US$45 million and US$50 million in demurrage costs during the first eight months of 2026.
The cost pressures have already reached consumers, with COCMAG introducing a temporary GH¢12 per bag clinker demurrage surcharge in September to recover part of the extraordinary costs arising from the delays.
The latest government intervention is therefore aimed at addressing a key bottleneck in the cement supply chain, where delays in bringing clinker ashore can increase vessel charges, disrupt production schedules and raise the cost of getting cement to the market.
Speaking during an inspection of the Tema Port on Friday, September 11, 2026, Trade, Agribusiness and Industry Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare said the government would continue working with industry to address operational challenges affecting manufacturers.
“We will continue to collaborate with industry to find lasting solutions to challenges affecting productivity and competitiveness,” she said.
The Minister said the government recognised the role of cement manufacturers in Ghana’s industrial development and would work with them to resolve challenges associated with the offloading of clinker and other raw materials.
The planned dredging is expected to improve the port’s ability to receive larger vessels, shorten discharge times and reduce the period ships occupy berths.
The need to improve berth capacity has become more pressing as Ghana’s cement manufacturers remain heavily reliant on imported clinker, a key input in cement production. Industry players have also called for longer-term measures to reduce the sector’s exposure to imported clinker and its associated shipping and logistics costs.
