Stakeholders in the maritime industry underscored the importance of the blue economy to Ghana’s progress at a meeting in Takoradi to deliberate on policy interventions and regulations regarding the blue economy – inland water and lake transport and how their potentials could be maximized for local economic growth.

The meeting dubbed: “Stakeholders Engagement on Cabotage,” sought to sensitise stakeholders on the new Cabotage Regulations developed in 2022 for businesses and individuals to take advantage of it to create more local employment to boost the economy.

Mr Daniel Appianim, the Deputy Director General, Technical Operations, Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), noted that the implementation of the Cabotage Regulations in Ghana was not merely a policy change but a testament to industry’s commitment to building a thriving, sustainable and secure maritime future for the country. “However, to achieve this objective we must unite in this endeavour, embracing innovation, fostering partnerships and working hand in hand to steer our maritime sector to new heights as together we can build a legacy of prosperity for future generations,” he said.

Mr Appianim averred that the cabotage, when fully practiced, would boost domestic shipping leading to growth in other sectors. He indicated that the sector could also increase job opportunities for Ghanaian seafarers, improve upon local shipping capacity in terms of tonnage, enhance competitiveness in international trade and strengthen Maritime security and control.

Obstacles Facing Ghana’s Maritime Industry

Mr Appianim stated that Ghana’s maritime industry has faced various obstacles such as deficits in infrastructure and policies that did not align with the sector’s interests, hence the need for effective collaboration for improvement.

“The introduction of the cabotage regulations, therefore, presents a visionary approach to addressing these challenges head-on, an area which seeks to reserve the commercial transportation of goods and services within Ghana’s coastal and inland waters to vessels flying the flag of Ghana or owned by Ghanaians.”
Mr Daniel Appianim

Mr Appianim described the Regulations as a momentous step towards achieving several critical objectives in the maritime domain. “The successful implementation of the cabotage regulations would require collective efforts, dedication and perseverance from the Government, maritime industry and civil society,” he said.

“The Ghana Maritime Authority shall continue to safeguard the nation’s maritime interests in accordance with statutory mandate. We are resolute in our commitment to ensuring that the Ghana Shipping Cabotage Regulation is effectively implemented for the benefit of our country and its citizens.”
Mr Daniel Appianim

Nana Kwabena Boakye-Boampong, the Director at Maritime Services Division, noted that since the Cabotage Regulation came into effect in February 2022, the Authority has diligently charted its path to full implementation.

“Already, a team from the Authority is in Nigeria to glean insights from their well-established cabotage regime, to help in strategic implementation. We anticipate that the Cabotage Regime will yield far-reaching benefits for our nation and its maritime sector, offering job opportunities and providing essential training to countless Ghanaian seafarers.”
Nana Kwabena Boakye-Boampong

Elevating The Competence and Expertise of the Ghana’s Maritime Workforce

That will elevate the competence and expertise of the country’s maritime workforce and foster skilled and capable maritime community. Some of the participants commended the Authority for the move, while others mooted for mentorship programmes to enable Ghanaians to take up more leading roles in the maritime trade. Others called on the Authority to revisit the certification and renewal ratings, which continued to deter interested participants in the sector.

The meeting was attended by government agencies, industry experts, shipping operators, vessel owners, maritime legal practitioners and environmental advocates. They deliberated on the fundamental tenets of the cabotage regulations, enhancing maritime skills and workforce development, insight on implementation strategies and procedures among other things.

Meanwhile, in Ghana, cabotage refers to local trade for the carriage of cargo from one place to another including lakes and inland waterways within her maritime jurisdiction. The Regulations on Cabotage, 2021 (L.I. 2438) was gazzetted on December 16, 2021 and entered into force on February 24, 2022, with a primary objective to reserving the commercial transportation of goods, passengers and services within Ghana’s maritime jurisdiction to Ghanaians and indigenous Ghanaian companies.

So far 91 countries are working in line with the cabotage laws due to its importance to the local economy, including the United States with the Jones Act, Australia with the Coastal Trading Act, China, Brazil, India and Nigeria.