D86 Million Budgeted for GPA
The Independent (Banjul)
NEWS
September 27, 2002
Posted to the web September 27, 2002
By S.b Camara
Banjul
The Director of the Gambia Ports Authority Adama Deen has revealed that
modalities were being devised to invest up to D86 million dalasi for the
acquisition of modern machines and technology for the modernization and
improved operations delivery of the port of Banjul.
Mr. Deen disclosing this at the National Stakeholders Workshop at the
Kairaba Beach Hotel, stated that the GPA has signed a contract with MAFI
Transport of Germany to the tune of D22 million for eight tractors and
trailers for the conveyance of containers from quayside to stacking areas
and vice versa.
'We are poised to signing yet another contract with Fantuzzi Reggiane of
Italy for the supply of a Mobile Harbour Crane (MHC 65) to the tune of
approximately D29 million. Another signing has been made with Hyster Europe
of Holland, for the supply of 6 heavy and empty container handlers
(forklifts) at a contract price of D35 million. He said that the projects
are to be financed in their entirety, by the African Development Bank
(ADB), through the utilization of loan saving from the second Banjul Port
Project.
According to the Director, the acquisition of Mobile Harbour Crane, will
mark a watershed in the continued development of the Port of Banjul, as a
premier port. 'For the first time, the GPA will have the capacity and
capability of handling vessels, which today, have not been able to call
Banjul Port, for lack of appropriate gears of this sort' he outlined.
He said over the years, the Authority has invested heavily in port
infrastrutural development, providing additional and specialist berths
(such as-a Ro-Ro berth). 'Currently the Authority is in the process of
updating the 1992 Port Master Plan, which study, is being carried out by
Hamburg Port Consulting, which is at an advanced stage of completion' he
reveled.
He also reported that over the past five years the increase in cargo
volumes and cargo sector changer have posed various operational challenges
for the port, adding that they have exhausted all efforts to deal with
these growth problems while offering the same level of service to meet
customer expectations.
'Among the cargo sector changes, Dry Bulk increased by 48 percent while
containerized cargo increased by 65 percent. Container traffic has
registered a steady growth over the years and in 2001, the port handles
30,000 T.E.Us with a forecasted increase of 22 percent (38,000 T.E.Us) by
the end of 2002' he said.
Meanwhile, some concerned ship owners raised issues with the GPA during the
workshop such as the late commencement of labour and early closure of
labour, poor stevedore attendance, lack of supervision and non-attendance
by stevedore operators, recruitment of unqualified crane men thereby
inflicting damage to cargo, culture of obligation to pilfer, absence of
safety culture, lack of equipment and poor reliability.
They argued all these issues pose financial consequences for the Gambian
economy.
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Copyright © 2002 The Independent. All rights reserved. Distributed by
AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).
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There is a time in the life of every problem when it is big enough to see,
yet small enough to solve (Mike Leavitt)
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