Figures from the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA) have revealed that total maritime trade from January to December 2014, amounted to more than 15.1 million metric tonnes.
This is made up of about 10.8 million metric tonnes of imports and 4.38 million tonnes of exports.
During the period under review, the port of Tema handled more than 71% of the country’s maritime trade, which is about 11.4 million metric tonnes, while the port of Takoradi handled the remaining 4.3 million metric tonnes, representing 25% of the total trade.
Comparing the 2014 performance with the previous year (2013), it shows a decline of 14% in total cargo throughput in 2014. The total import trade for the country is 15% less than what was obtained in the previous year, 2013.
While the total export trade also decreased more than 12% over that of 2013 tonnage. The country’s ports also recorded a total transit trade for the period amounted to 591,735 metric tonnes in 2014 as against 711,702 in 2013. This depicted a decline of 17% as compared to what was obtained in the previous year.
Furthermore, the transit tonnage was made up of 577,628 metric tonnes of import and 14,107 metric tonnes. This brought the total transit/transhipment through the ports of Ghana to only 5% of the total maritime trade of the West African second largest economy in 2014.
GROWING IMPORT TRADE
Out of the total import (15.1 million metric tonnes), total import for the review period was slightly more than 10.8 million metric tonnes. This comprised of 3.9 million metric tonnes of liner items, 2.0 million metric tonnes of break bulk, 2.8 million metric tonnes of dry bulk item, and 2.0 metric tonnes of liquid bulk items.
The GSA’s data in the possession of African Eye News.com indicated that maritime import for the period under review decreased by over 15% from what was obtained in 2013.
For the other types of trade, dry bulk import also decreased by 8% while liquid bulk by 31%, according to the data.
The liner import trade for 2014 is made up of items such as, processed foods (461,545 metric tonnes) and chemicals amounting to more than 382,230 metric tonnes.
Other items include tiles (353,882 metric tonnes), frozen meat and food (413,299 metric tonnes), machinery and equipment (130,965 metric tonnes), polythene raw materials (345,048 metric tonnes), and bagged rice (56,264 metric tonnes).
For break bulk import trade, the data showed that total break bulk import for 2014 hit 2. 0 million metric tonnes, representing 3% compared to 2013.
Additionally, total dry bulk import for 2014 amounted to more than 2.8 million metric tonnes, depicting 8% decrease over the performance in the previous year (2013).
Clinker, according to the data was the highest import item in this trade recording more than 1.85 million metric tonnes, representing an increase of 17% over the 2013 tonnage.
There were declines in the tonnage of cement, bulk wheat, limestone and other dry bulk imports dropped.
According to the data, liquid bulk import recorded an overall decrease of 31% during the period under review. Most of the items saw decreases in the quantities imported compared to the figure recorded in 2013. Petroleum products decreased by 25% while bitumen increased by 100%. Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) saw a decreased of 25%.
EMPORT TRADE SURGES
Furthermore, the country’s total export trade of 4.38 million metric tonnes is made up of more than 1.5 million metric tonnes of liner items, 473,966 metric tonnes of break bulk items, 2.2 million metric tonnes of dry bulk items. The remaining 36,963 metric tonnes was made up of liquid bulk items, the data stated.
Compared to the previous year total tonnage, 2014 recorded slightly over 11.7% increase in the export trade. The data showed that the liner trade recorded an increase of 1% while the dry bulk trade recorded a decrease of more 25%. The liquid bulk trade recorded a decrease of nearly 55%.
On liner export trade, the data noted that in 2014 cocoa beans export was up recording a tonnage of 427,860 metric tonnes, depicting a decrease of 1% as compared to 2013.
Other items include cocoa products of 206,288 metric tonnes, showing an increase of 9% from the 2013 tonnage; sawn timber recording 132,162 metric tonnes an increase of over 9%; shea-nut and shea butter recording 83,825 metric tonnes which amounted to an increase of over 43%.
The major export commodities in the break bulk export trade category are bagged cocoa beans and timber logs.
Total break bulk export decreased by close to 25%. Dry bulk items include bauxite which decreased by over 6%. Manganese export decreased by 36% and bulk sheanut export also saw about 19% increase in tonnage during the review period.
Total liquid bulk export for the period under review decreased by over 55%. Petroleum products trade saw decrease in tonnage by 79% while other liquid bulk increased by 10%.
MAJOR EXPORT TRADE DESTINATIONS
The country’s 4.3 million metric tonnes of maritime export recorded for 2014 was shipped to various destinations in the world. Majority of the items exported went to the Far East and the
North Continent ranges.
The Far East range received a total of 2.4 million metric tonnes (55% of total export) while the North Continent range had a tonnage of over 700,000 metric tonnes, depicting 17% of the total export.
The North Continent range received a total of 1.16 million metric tonnes (34% of the total export) while the Far East range had a tonnage of 1.12 million metric tonnes, representing 33%.
Also, a total of 311,268 metric tonnes which amounted to nine percent was shipped to the Mediterranean Europe range followed the Africa range which recorded 150,574 metric tonnes (4.46%).
The others are the United Kingdom range with 100,112 metric tonnes (about 2.9%) and the North America range with 88,745 (2.6%). While, the others range received a total of 434,623 metric tonnes amounting to more than 12%.
MAJOR IMPORT TRADE ORIGINS
According to data, majority of the country’s maritime import for the 2014 originated from the Far East, Africa, the North Continent, Mediterranean, and other ranges.
Each of these recorded tonnages such as Far East 3.4 million metric tonnes (36%); Africa 1.3 metric tonnes (12%); North Continent 1.7 metric tonnes (17%); Mediterranean 1.6 metric tonnes (15%); and others range 1.0 million metric tonnes (10%).
Maritime import from the North America range recorded 687,188 metric tonnes representing about 6% of the total import trade in 2014. The UK range recorded 404,477 metric tonnes, amounting to only 4% of the total maritime for the period.
African Eye News.com
