Accra: Ocean Centres Ghana, hosted by UN Global Compact Network Ghana and supported by Lloyd's Register Foundation, has launched the first in a series of multi-stakeholder workshops to discuss safety and sustainability in the blue economy. The maiden workshop on the theme: 'Navigating a Safer and Greener Future: Integrating Sustainability and Safety in Port and Shipping Operations' brought together public agencies, industry leaders, academia, labour unions, financial institutions, and other maritime stakeholders to discuss and develop Ghana-focused recommendations for embedding safety and sustainability across port and shipping operations.
According to Ghana News Agency, Professor Randsford Edward Gyampo, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers Authority, urged Ghanaian shippers to position themselves to meet current supply chain demands or risk exclusion from greener markets. He emphasized that multinational buyers are increasingly requiring lower carbon logistics as part of their supply chain standards. Sustainability measures that improve efficiency, ranging from digitalised customs to modern vessel traffic systems, also build resilience for the exportation of goods such as food, horticulture, and fish. Prof Gyampo highlighted the importance of collaboration among shippers, including data sharing, policy co-design, and engagement in multi-stakeholder platforms to ensure solutions are practical and cost-sensitive.
Investments in efficient and sustainable operations, Prof Gyampo noted, would deliver long-term savings, stability, and competitiveness. He cautioned against disproportionately passing on green ports fees, carbon leaps, and compliance measures to cargo holders, as greener infrastructure that slows cargo turnaround risks diverting flows to competing ports. Regulations must align with international conventions for Ghana's ports and shipping operations to be safe and sustainable, thus enabling exporters to gain confidence and market access as well as benefiting importers with reliable supply chains.
Nana Boakye Boampong, Country Lead, Oceans Ghana, remarked on the significant role the blue economy plays in the lives of people and countries, noting that in Ghana, about 6-7% of GDP is dependent on ocean activities. He stated that the Oceans Centre serves as a multi-stakeholder engagement platform aimed at channeling safety and sustainability in the blue economy's operations. The workshop was deemed necessary for building consensus and formulating local recommendations to address gaps and enhance safety and sustainability in the oceans industry.
Tolu Kweku Lacroix, Executive Director, UN Global Compact Network Ghana, announced plans for seven more workshops focusing on different maritime or blue economy sectors to identify pressing issues and solutions. The goal is to encourage stakeholder collaboration and develop a robust blueprint to enhance the blue economy's efficiency. This initiative aims to integrate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into industry operations.
Beth Elliot, Director of Strategic Communications, Lloyds Register, highlighted the increased risks faced by ocean workers compared to those in other industries, emphasizing the need for crew training and mental health support, especially in the face of extreme and erratic weather patterns impacting port facilities.
