1 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GHANA MARITIME AUTHORITY 1.0 Introduction The Ghana Maritime Authority is a regulatory body established by Act 630 of 2002 and charged with the responsibility of regulating, monitoring and coordinating the activities of the maritime industry. 2.0 Mission The Mission of the Authority is to ensure the provision of safe, secure and efficient shipping services and the protection of the marine environment from ship source pollution. It is also to oversee the training, engagement and welfare of Ghanaian Seafarers. 3.0 Objectives The objective of the Authority is to create a harmonious and enabling environment within the maritime industry which will ensure the provision of safe, secure and efficient shipping operations in the country. 4.0 Functions The functions of the Authority as spelt out in the Ghana Maritime Authority Act are as follows: a. Implement the provisions of the Ghana Shipping Act, 2003, (Act 645); b. Ensure Safety of navigation; c. Fulfill flag state and port state responsibilities in an effective and efficient manner, having due regard to international maritime convention, instruments and codes; d. Deal with matters pertaining to maritime search and rescue and coordinate the activities of the Ghana Armed Forces, the Ports and Harbours Authority and other body during search and rescue operations; 2 e. Regulate activities on shipping in the inland waterways including the safety of navigation in inland waterways; f. Cause to be investigated maritime casualties and take appropriate action; g. Oversee matters pertaining to the training, recruitment and welfare of Ghanaian seafarers; h. Plan, monitor and evaluate training programmes of seafarers to ensure conformity with standards laid down by international maritime conventions; i. Ensure in collaboration with such other public agencies and institutions as the Board may determine the prevention of marine source pollution protection of the marine environment and response to marine environment incidents; j. Pursue the ratification or accession and implementation of international maritime conventions, in conjunction with the appropriate Ministry; k. Assess the manpower needs of the maritime sector for national planning purposes; l. Liaise effectively with government agencies and institutions that deal with maritime transport and related transport matters for the purpose of achieving harmony in the maritime industry; m. Initiate research into national maritime transport development for effective planning and coordination; n. Ensure an efficient, cost effective and orderly provision of services in the shipping industry in line with government policies; o. Initiate action for the promotion, establishment and development of private shipping lines; p. Advise on policies for the development and maintenance of maritime infrastructure such as ports and harbours in the country; q. Advise the government on maritime matters generally; r. Regulate the activities of shipping agents, freight forwarders and similar shipping service providers 3 Apart from these functions the Authority is also responsible for maritime security matters and superintends over the Ghana Maritime Security, 2004 (Act 675). In addition the Authority enforces the provisions of the Ghana Shipping (Training, Certification and Watchkeeping) Regulations L.I.1790 which was enacted by virtue of powers granted under the Ghana Shipping Act to deal with the training and certification of seafarers. 5.0 Activities for 2011 5.1 Registration of Ships The Authority is mandated to maintain the Ship Register by registering ships and implementing Ghana’s flag state obligations to ensure that ships flying the Ghana flag are seaworthy and operate in accordance with regulations on safety, security and marine environment protection. Flag state obligations are conducted through an effective system of ship surveys and issuance of various ships certificates. During the year under review the Authority registered twenty three (23) ships thus bringing the total number of ships on the Ghana Ship Register to 428. The details are provided in the tables below: Total Number of Ships on the Ghanaian Register TYPE OF SHIPS NUMBER Fishing vessels 343 Cargo vessels 30 Small crafts 50 Supply Vessels 4 Tanker 1 TOTAL 428 4 Number of Ships Registered in 2011 TYPE OF VESSEL NO. REGISTERED FISHING VESSEL 18 CARGO - SUPPLY VESSEL 2 SMALL CRAFTS 3 TOTAL 23 The 23 ships registered in 2011 showed an increase of 43% over the 13 ships registered in 2010. The increase was due to the awareness created by the Authority to promote the Ghanaian Ship Register by encouraging prospective indigenous investors through legislation to acquire ships including supply and support vessels as part of Government policy on local participation in shipping activities. The Authority has also computerized the system of ship registration and created a ships data base to enhance efficiency. 6.0 Flag State Implementation The Authority implements Ghana’s flag state responsibilities through effective ship surveys and issuance of various ships certificates to attest seaworthiness and compliance with relevant international maritime instruments that have been incorporated into Ghanaian laws. The flag state surveys are conducted by the Authority’s marine surveyors as well as private marine surveyors from the Ghana Institute of Marine Surveyors (GIMS). To ensure effective supervision of private surveyors the Authority has developed a matrix based on international best practice to monitor their activities to ensure that the surveys of ships delegated to them are properly conducted and certified. During the year under review the Authority issued 351 ship certificates after surveys conducted by its surveyors and that of GIMS. The type of surveys and certificates issued to ships in 2011 are provided in the table below: 5 Ship Survey Certificates issued in 2011 SURVEY & Ghana Maritime Ghana Association Total No. of CERTIFICATE TYPE Authority Surveyors of Marine Surveyors Certificates issued SAFETY EQUIPMENT 53 59 112 SAFETY RADIO 61 81 142 IOPP 20 12 32 LOADLINE 2 11 13 SAFETY 1 8 9 CONSTRUCTION SAFE MANNING 28 7 35 INT. TONNAGE 2 6 8 TOTAL 167 184 351 GMA surveyors conducting Flag State Inspection on Ship 6 7.0 Importation of Vessels The Authority provides technical advice on application for the importation of various types of vessels into Ghana. In 2011 a total of 28 applications were considered out of which approval was granted for 23 vessels to be imported whilst 5 were refused application. The main reasons for the refusal of approval for importation were due to insufficient safety information with which to assess the seaworthiness of the vessels. 8.0 Port State Control (PSC) Inspections The Authority is responsible for Port State Control inspections. Hence it has established port state control offices at Tema and Takoradi and recruited qualified surveyors and inspection officers who carry out surveys and inspections on foreign vessels that call at our ports. Port State Control Inspections commenced fully in March, 2008. As part of further efforts to curb the issue of sub standard vessels calling at our Ports, Ghana became a party to the Abuja Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Port State Control for West and Central Africa which aims at eliminating the operations of sub-standard vessels within the sub-region. 8.1 PSC Inspections Tema and Takoradi Ports The Authority is mandated under the Abuja MOU to target 15% of foreign vessels that call at Ghanaian ports for PSC Inspections. In 2011, the Authority’s marine surveyors conducted port state control inspections on 397 ships at the ports of Tema and Takoradi. Out of this number, 170 ships were found with minor deficiencies which were rectified before the ships were given clearance to sail and two ships were found unseaworthy and detained. Details of the type of vessels inspected are summarised in the table below: 7 Summary of Vessel Types Inspected In 2011 NUMBER OF INSPECTIONS TONNAGE TYPE OF VESSEL TARKORADI TEMA TOTAL TARKORADI TEMA TOTAL ANCHOR HANDLING AND TUG SERVICES 11 0 11 26029 0 26029 BULK 64 45 109 1652412 918039 2570451 CABLE SHIP 1 0 1 10363 0 10363 CAR CARRIER 0 7 7 0 364860 364860 CONTAINER 9 21 30 227243 424923 652166 CREW/WORK BOAT 9 0 9 3649 0 3649 DREDGER 1 0 1 28634 0 28634 GENERAL CARGO 31 30 61 196604 326997 523601 HEAVY LIFT 1 0 1 5818 0 5818 MULTI PURPOSE 19 5 24 161122 61952 223074 PASSENGER 1 2 3 341 39847 40188 REEFER 7 41 48 26981 213916 240897 RESEARCH 1 0 1 12108 0 12108 RO-RO 4 5 9 102860 243403 346263 SUPPLY 35 0 35 66938 0 66938 SUPPORT 6 0 6 9398 0 9398 SURVEY 2 0 2 2441 0 2441 TANKER 24 12 36 1273081 809543 2082624 TUG 2 0 2 610 0 610 UTILITY 1 0 1 60 0 60 TOTAL 229 168 397 3806692 3403480 7210172 The table shows that bulk carriers constituted the highest number of ship type that were subjected to PSC inspections at the two ports recording a total of 45 and 64 at Tema and Takoradi respectively. The tonnages for ships inspected at the two ports amounted to3,403,480 and 3,806,692 Gross Tons for Tema and Takoradi respectively thus making the total tonnage recorded for the two ports 7,210,172 Gross Tons. 8 GMA official conducting port state control inspection at Tema port 9 8.1.1 Class of Ships Inspected Vessels of almost all the Recognized Classification Societies called at the ports in Ghana during the year under review. Nipon Kani Kyokai (NKK) recorded the highest with forty five (45) vessels inspected at the port of Tema. This was followed by the American Bureau of Ships which had forty (42) vessels inspected at the port of Takoradi. The details of ships inspected by class during the period are given below: CLASS NUMBER OF INSPECTIONS NUMBER OF DEFICIENCIES NUMBER OF SHIPS DEFICIENT TEMA TAKORADI TOTAL TEMA TAKORADI TOTAL AMERICAN BUREAU OF SHIPS 4 42 46 2 12 14 9 BUREAU VERITAS 16 33 49 4 13 17 9 CHINA CLASSIFICATION SOCIETY 5 4 9 8 0 8 2 DEE NORKSE VERITAS 17 37 54 0 4 4 4 GERMANISCHER LLOYDS 23 35 58 1 3 4 4 GLOBAL MARITIME 0 1 1 0 2 2 1 10 HILLING REGISTER OF SHIPPING 1 0 1 6 0 6 1 INT.