By Edward Dankwah
Accra, June 3, GNA – Mrs. Gertrude Ohene-Asienim, Executive Director of Whitestone Shipbrokers, has underscored the importance of innovation, collaboration, and human capital in shaping the future of Africa’s maritime industry.
She said while infrastructure, vessels, and technology remained important, the future of the maritime sector would ultimately be determined by people with ideas, courage, vision, and the willingness to innovate.
The Executive Director was speaking at the opening ceremony of the maiden edition of the Maritime Trade Fair Ghana 2026, a two-day event on the theme, “Shaping Africa’s Future: Maritime, Technology and Finance” in Accra.
Mrs. Ohene-Asienim noted that the global maritime industry was undergoing significant transformation, driven by digitalisation, evolving financing structures, smarter ports, and growing demands for resilient supply chains.
She said regional trade initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area were creating unprecedented opportunities for Africa’s industrial growth and economic integration, while environmental sustainability and responsible business practices were increasingly influencing investment decisions across the sector.
“Platforms such as the trade fair were essential because they created opportunities for dialogue, partnerships, innovation, and practical solutions to challenges confronting the maritime industry,” she added.
Mrs. Ohene-Asienim said discussions at the event would focus on key areas including governance, maritime finance, insurance, logistics, technology, sustainability, workforce development, and the future of trade.
She commended the participation of women-led maritime organisations, including Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association and Women in Maritime Organization of West and Central Africa, noting that inclusion must go beyond representation to encompass leadership, capability development, and influence across the maritime value chain.
The Executive Director observed that innovations such as digital platforms, fintech solutions, automation, and smart logistics systems were already improving efficiency, transparency, and access to trade finance across the industry.
She said start-ups and young innovators were also introducing fresh approaches to solving long standing maritime challenges, making innovation a critical driver of competitiveness and growth.
Mrs. Ohene-Asienim reaffirmed the commitment of Whitestone Shipbrokers and the West Africa School of Shipping to building capacity and supporting professional development within the sector through training, mentorship, and strategic partnerships.
She called on stakeholders to empower young professionals and emerging leaders to play active roles in shaping Africa’s maritime future, stressing that collaboration between governments, industry players, academia, and innovators remained essential to sustainable growth.
Mr. Moses Klu Mensah, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Ghana EXIM Bank, called for increased investment in finance, technology, infrastructure, and regulatory reforms to unlock the full potential of Ghana’s maritime sector and strengthen Africa’s competitiveness in global trade.
He said the maritime industry remained a strategic economic platform that connected producers to markets, facilitated exports and imports, supported industrial production, and influenced the cost of doing business across the continent.
He identified access to finance as a critical factor in driving maritime and port-led economic growth, stressing that exporters, logistics firms, freight forwarders, warehousing companies, and technology providers all required adequate capital to expand operations and improve efficiency.
“Financing should not only support business growth but also enhance productivity, improve standards, increase market access, and strengthen long-term competitiveness,” he said.
Mr. Mensah called for better alignment between regulation, infrastructure, and capital investment to improve trade competitiveness, noting that delays, high transaction costs, and fragmented systems continued to undermine Africa’s trade potential.
He said digital solutions such as cargo tracking systems, electronic documentation, customs processing platforms, and digital trade tools could help businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), participate more effectively in cross-border trade.
Mr. Mensah urged stakeholders to position Ghana and Africa for sustainable maritime investment by supporting infrastructure development, logistics modernization, industrial value chains, and environmentally responsible growth.
GNA
Kenneth Odeng Adade