Ghana likely to lose revenues as seized Argentine ship harms commercial port activities

Ghana port officials want seized Argentine navy ship removed to create more space at the Tema port.

According to officials, the military vessel which was seized in Ghana October 2, 2012 following a court order due to Argentina’s inability to pay its debt owed to a US investment firm, is causing traffic at the Tema port thus hampering commercial activities leading to further revenue losses to Ghana.

Last Thursday October 25, 2012, officials of the Ghana Ports and Harbour Authority were in court asking for the ship to be moved because it was blocking valuable space at the port.

They say the ARA Libertad was harming commercial activity at the Tema port, which is Ghana’s largest port.

“There is congestion at the port and commercial activities are virtually coming to a standstill,” Asare Darko, a lawyer for GPHA told the AFP.

“The situation is getting more and more chaotic. You can’t put a military vessel in the midst of commercial vessels. As at yesterday, we could count about 20 vessels waiting to berth.”

The AFP reports that NML Capital Limited, whose court claims led to the detention of the ship, will not oppose the request to move the frigate to anchorage, according to its lawyer Ace Ankomah.

By Ekow Quandzie