Tema, June 10, GNA – A Danish delegation led by Mr Tom Norring, Danish Ambassador to Ghana has called on the management of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA).
The call formed part of a working visit to various state agencies within the maritime sector in Ghana.
The delegation included Mr Andreas Nordseth, the Director-General of the Danish Maritime Authority, and some other officials.
During the visit, the Danish Maritime Authority and the GPHA reaffirmed plans for continued cooperation between the two organizations.
Mr Nordseth revealed that his outfit was hoping to cooperate with GPHA for the global green ports initiative that was intended to promote sustainable shipping.
He said besides other arrangements of capacity building for human resources for pilots and tugboat operators, they would begin to look into the future challenge of green ports management, which the whole world including them was trying to find its footing.
He said he was impressed with what the GPHA was already doing with waste management and reception facilities at the ports.
“On air quality management, it is important that we work together, nobody in the world has really found a 100 per cent solution, we would, together with our Danish Environmental Protection Agency share our experiences to see how far we can grow together,” he stated.
Mr Michael Luguje, GHPA Director-General on his part acknowledged the significance of the initiative and affirmed the Port Authority’s support for attaining the environmental goals.
Mr Luguje stated that “as humans, because the environment is not something to hold, we seem to take it for granted. But as we are starting to experience the effects of ignoring challenges associated with environmental degradation, we are beginning to learn lessons.
“Naturally the western world is a step ahead of us in Africa, and that is why such cooperative bilateral arrangements like this and at the IMO level are key to taking the necessary measures to improve our environment,” he said.
GNA