By Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo
Tema, Nov. 09, GNA — Ghana has been recognised as the leading country in West and Central Africa for detecting vessel safety deficiencies, following its performance in port state control inspections in 2025.
The recognition was announced at the 16th Port State Control Committee Meeting of the Abuja Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), held in Libreville, Gabon.
Data from the regional body showed that Ghanaian inspectors detected safety and regulatory deficiencies on 129 of the 288 vessels inspected in the country’s ports in 2025, representing approximately 45 per cent.
The inspections identified a total of 645 individual deficiencies, contributing significantly to the 1,571 deficiencies recorded across the Abuja MoU region during the year.
The Abuja MoU coordinates procedures for port state control among West and Central African countries to prevent unsafe and non-compliant vessels from operating within the region’s maritime domain.
Its awards scheme recognises member states for performance in three categories: gender balance in inspection teams, the highest inspection commitment over three years, and the highest proportion of inspections revealing vessel deficiencies over the same period.
Ghana’s latest recognition builds on its performance over the previous two years.
In 2023, inspectors conducted 168 inspections, detecting deficiencies in 98 vessels, representing a detection rate of 58.3 per cent. The inspections recorded 579 deficiencies out of the 1,384 documented across the sub-region.
In 2024, Ghana conducted 233 inspections, identifying 513 deficiencies across 100 vessels.
However, the 2025 figures also point to gaps in the country’s inspection coverage.
The country’s commercial seaports recorded 2,108 vessel calls during the year, with Tema handling 1,691, representing 80 per cent, while Takoradi received 417 calls.
Out of the 1,112 vessels identified as eligible for inspection, 823 were not boarded, leaving 289 inspected, according to the operational data provided.
At theTema Port, inspectors conducted 110 inspections and detected deficiencies in 80 vessels.
Takoradi Port recorded 179 inspections, identifying 49 vessels with deficiencies and 176 individual deficiencies.
The figures highlight the need to strengthen inspection capacity and extend coverage to more vessels calling at the country’s ports.
A Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) analysis also identified operational challenges affecting port state control, including shortages of qualified personnel, inadequate structured training programmes and vulnerability to bribery and corruption.
The report further highlighted gaps in offshore inspection coverage and advance vessel tracking, as well as the absence of female Port State Control Officers (PSCOs) in Ghana.
It recommended the adoption of digital integration tools, including the Maritime Single Window, to improve pre-arrival risk assessments and strengthen vessel monitoring before ships berth.
Commenting on the recognition, Mr Mubarick Masawudu, Deputy Director-General of the GMA, said Ghana was increasingly becoming a benchmark for port state control quality in a region where inspection standards remained a concern.
Mr Masawudu attributed the achievement to professionalism, integrity and transparency in the country’s inspection regime.
He said the GMA had recruited additional qualified personnel to reinforce inspection teams in Tema and Takoradi and introduced targeted training initiatives for officers.
On gender inclusion, he said the authority had recruited a qualified female officer to undergo training as a Port State Control Inspector, with plans to recruit more women progressively to improve gender representation.
He commended the authority’s inspection officers for maintaining professional standards and refusing to clear vessels with unresolved safety deficiencies.
“Our next goal is to extend that same standard to every eligible vessel that calls at our ports,” he said.
GNA
Edited by Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo, GNA
Email address: [email protected]