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MID YEAR REVIEW CONFERENCE. The Ministry of Transport (MOT) has organized this year’s Annual Sector Review conference 2010 at a ceremony at Koforidua on 22 nd – 24 th September.
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MID YEAR REVIEW CONFERENCE The Ministry of Transport (MOT) has organized this year’s Annual Sector Review conference 2010 at a ceremony at Koforidua on 22nd – 24th September. It was attended by representatives from all agencies under the Ministry, including members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Roads and Transport.
CONT. Agencies under the MOT are: • Ghana Maritime Authority • Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority • Ghana Shippers Authority • Regional Maritime University • Ghana Civil Aviation Authority • Ghana Airports Company Limited • Ghana Railway Company Limited
CONT. 8. Ghana Railway Development Authority 9. Intercity STC Coaches Limited 10. Metro Mass Transit Limited 11. Government Technical Training Centre • Volta Lake Transport Company • Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority • National Road Safety Commission
GHANA MARITIME AUTHORITY PRESENTATION By: I. P. Azuma Director General
OVERVIEW OF PRESENTATION • INTRODUCTION • MISSION • OBJECTIVE • FUNCTIONS • TARGETS • OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE • SHORT TERM PLANS • CONSTRAINTS
INTRODUCTION • The Ghana Maritime Authority was established under Act 630 of 2002 and charged with the responsibility of monitoring, regulating and coordinating activities in the maritime industry.
MISSION • The Mission of the Authority is to ensure the provision of safe, secure and efficient shipping services and the protection of the marine environment from ship source pollution. It is also to oversee the training, engagement and welfare of Ghanaian Seafarers.
VISION To ensure that the seas and inland waters of Ghana are safe, clean, and secure and to facilitate their use as an asset for Ghana’s economic and social development
OBJECTIVE • The objective of the Authority is to create a harmonious and enabling environment within the maritime industry which will ensure the provision of safe, secure and efficient shipping operations in the country.
FUNCTIONS The Authority is mandated to perform the following functions: • Implement the provisions of the Ghana Shipping Act, 2003, (Act 645); • Ensure safety of navigation; • Fulfil flag state and port state responsibilities in an effective and efficient manner, having due regard to international maritime conventions, instruments and codes;
FUNCTIONS CONT’D • Deal with matters pertaining to maritime search and rescue and coordinate the activities of the Ghana Armed Forces, the Ports and Harbours Authority and other relevant bodies during search and rescue operations; • Regulate activities on shipping in the inland waterways including the safety of navigation in inland waterways; • Cause to be investigated maritime casualties and take appropriate action; • Oversee matters pertaining to the training, recruitment and welfare of Ghanaian seafarers
FUNCTIONS CONT’D • Plan, monitor and evaluate training programmes of seafarers to ensure conformity with standards laid down by international maritime conventions; • Ensure in collaboration with such other public agencies and institutions as the Board may determine the prevention of marine source pollution protection of the marine environment and response to marine environment incidents; • Pursue the ratification or accession and implementation of international maritime conventions, in conjunction with the appropriate Ministry;
FUNCTIONS CONT’D • Assess the manpower needs of the maritime sector for national planning purposes; • Liaise effectively with government agencies and institutions that deal with maritime transport and related transport matters for the purpose of achieving harmony in the maritime industry; • Initiate research into national maritime transport development for effective planning and coordination; • Ensure an efficient, cost effective and orderly provision of services in the shipping industry in line with government policies;
FUNCTIONS CONT’D • Initiate action for the promotion, establishment and development of private shipping lines; • Advise on policies for the development and maintenance of maritime infrastructure such as ports and harbours in the country; • Advise the government on maritime matters generally; • Regulate the activities of shipping agents, freight forwarders and similar shipping service providers.
MAJOR TARGETS • Following the discovery of oil and the time table set by Tullow Ghana to commence lifting operations in the last quarter of 2010. • the GMA this year set a number of targets aimed at supporting Ghana’s oil and gas development particularly with regard to the GMA’S mandate on maritime safety, maritime security and marine environment protection.
MAJOR TARGETS CON’T These targets include: • Ratification of relevant international maritime instruments • Establish a comprehensive legislation to support Ghana’ emerging oil and gas sector • Improve maritime security -conduct security assessment on the FPSO -ratify 2005 SUA Protocols
MAJOR TARGETS CON’T • Prepare domestic legislation to give effect to SUA Protocols • Procure Vessel Traffic Management and Information System(VTMIS) • Seafarer employment programme - Prepare regulations to license ship manning agencies -Establish a seafarer electronic data base
MAJOR TARGETS CON’T - GMA to submit to voluntary audit by European Maritime Safety Agency(EMSA) • Maintain the Ghana Ship Register in an effective manner
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE • RATIFICATION OF CONVENTIONS The GMA through the MOT facilitated Ghana’s accession of the following conventions: • 1996 Protocol to the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Waste and Other Matter (London Convention). • Convention on Oil Pollution,Preparedness, Response and Cooperation(OPRC),1990. • International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue,1979
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE CON’T D. The Under listed Annexes to the International Convention on the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL 73/78) • MARPOL Annex III – Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by harmful Substances Carried by Sea in Packaged Form. • MARPOL Annex IV – Regulation for the Prevention of Pollution by Sewerage from Ships. • MARPOL Annex V – Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Garbage from Ships. • MARPOL Annex VI – Regulation for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE CON’T Instruments of accession in respect of these conventions have been deposited with the IMO as required
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE CON’T • The GMA has through the MOT have also submitted Cabinet memoranda for the accession of the following international maritime conventions: • Protocol of 2005 to the Convention on the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Maritime Navigation(SUA) • Protocol of 2005 to the SUA Protocol relating to Fixed Platform Located on the Continental Shelf
International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage,2001 • 1988 Protocol to the International Convention on the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS),1974
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE CON’T Improve maritime security: • The safety and security of ships and port facilities through effective implementation of the Ghana Maritime Security Act, 2004 continued to be a priority for the GMA. • ISPS security audit have been carried out at the ports of Tema and Takoradi. The audit report has been sent to GPHA for implementation and issuance of Certificate of compliance.
Improve maritime security (cont’d): • ISPS security assessments have been carried on FPSO Kwame Nkrumah by a Recognised Security Organization (RSO) appointed by the GMA. The recommendations contained in the assessment report have been forwarded to the operator (Tullow Ghana) for implementation and issuance of certificate of compliance.
Improve maritime security (cont’d): The GMA through the MOT has obtained Parliamentary approval for a loan facility to procure the Vessel Traffic Management Information Systems (VTMIS) to facilitate surveillance of our coastal waters for navigational safety, maritime security and protection of the marine environment.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE CON’T Legislation to support oil and gas: • 7 pieces of legislation have been prepared by the GMA to support the oil and gas sector. These are: • Ghana Maritime Security (Amendment) Bill • Ghana Maritime Authority (Amendment ) Bill • Ghana Maritime Authority(Maritime Safety Fess and Charges )Regulations
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE CON’T • Ghana Maritime Authority(Maritime Safety Fees and Charges )Regulations • Ghana Shipping (Protection of Offshore Operations and Assets) Regulations • Marine Pollution Bill • Marine Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE CON’T • Ghana Maritime Security (Amendment) Bill, 2010- to extend the scope of application of this Act to cover offshore oil or gas installations beyond the territorial sea • The amendment will extend the application of the GMS Act to the whole area of Ghana’s maritime jurisdiction. • Incorporate audit and inspection provisions for foreign-registered ships, MODUs and offshore installations in Ghanaian waters
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE CON’T Ghana Shipping (Amendment) Bill, 2010: • The GSA imposes restrictions on the trading of foreign registered ships in Ghanaian waters by preserving local trade to Ghanaian ships. However, the current definition of Ghanaian waters is limited to the 12 NM territorial sea. • this amendment will extend the definition of Ghanaian waters to include the waters within the 500m safety zone generated automatically around installations in the EEZ
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE CON’T Ghana Maritime Authority (Amendment ) Bill: • Many new challenges face the GMA in developing capacity to support offshore oil and gas development. • Amendment will enhance the GMA’S role to advise on policy guidelines not covered by the Act e.g procedures for inspection, certification of vessels and offshore installations to ensure safety and protection of the marine environment
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE CON’T Ghana Maritime Authority(Maritime Safety Fess and Charges )Regulations: • This regulations will prescribe maritime safety fees and charges on installations, ships, pipelines, cables and other assets employed in the maritime domain.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE CON’T Ghana Shipping (Protection of Offshore Operations and Assets) Regulations • Offshore platforms and pipelines can be a significant hazard to navigation • Regulations will empower the establishment of safety zones and protected areas around the offshore installations and subsea pipelines
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE CON’T Marine Pollution Bill: • The Bill is intended to provide a legal framework to prevent and control marine source pollution in general by consolidating the major International Marine Pollution Conventions developed by the IMO.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE CON’T Marine Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations: • This will provide rules for offshore installations to prevent pollution of the marine environment by substances used or produced during offshore petroleum exploration and exploitation
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE CON’T Other initiatives: • The GMA has prepared navigational safety notices to advise mariners and the seafaring community in the interest of safety to maintain a safe distance of 5 Nautical miles radius from the developments around the Jubilee oil fields.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE CON’T • GMA has made a proposal to IMO to establish an Area To Be Avoided(ATBA) for the DWP, in order to further enhance safety of navigation and ensure security of vessels. • The ATBA would alert mariners to, the presence of the FPSO, and underwater well heads. • Additionally mariners will avoid interference with terminal operations and the manoeuvring of vessels at the terminal
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE CON’T Seafarer Employment Programme • The GMA in collaboration with the MOT, MESW and with partnership from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) embarked upon a project to promote employment in the maritime sector by creating an enabling environment to enable Ghanaian seafarers to access jobs in the international maritime industry including the offshore oil and gas sectors.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE CON’T • As a first step a Sea Labour Supply Committee(SLSC) was established with representatives from relevant stakeholders as NUS,RMU,GMNOA, GASMA, Labour Dept.. • The SLCP has finalized its report and it recommendations are being implemented by the GMA
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE CON’T • GMA has prepared Regulations to license recruitment agencies and their relations with seafarers thereby giving effect to the provision of the Ghana Shipping Act which makes it mandatory for seafarers to be engaged through licensed manning agents. • Seafarer electronic data base has been establish to facilitate online verification of COC’S issued to seafarers by GMA. The data base will also be used to support the SLSP
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE CON’T Seafarer Examination and Certification • Two examinations were conducted this year in January and April. • A total of 106 candidates comprising 52 engineer officers and 54 deck officers registered for the exams
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE CON’T • From January to June this year, a total of 2,025 certificates were issued to seafarers. The details were as follows: • Certificates of Proficiency - 653 • Certificates of Competency - 401 • Medical Certificates - 971
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE CON’T • Seven (7) medical doctors were appointed by the Authority to conduct seafarer medical examinations at designated health centres in Tema , Takoradi and Accra. • The names of these medical officers have been sent to the International Labour Organization (ILO) to be put into a data base as required by ILO Convention No 147.
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE CON’T European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) Audit • The GMA submitted itself to voluntary audit by EMSA in Dec. 2009 • The purpose was to attest GMA’S compliance with the requirements of the STCW Convention as amended • The audit will provide assurance to the (EU) member states about the standards of competence of seafarers issued with Ghanaian COC’S
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE CON’T • The Audit Report has been forwarded to the RMSA inspectors for consideration of by expert panel in Brussels • A successful audit couple with the QMS being implemented by the GMA will pave way for the employment of Ghanaian seafarers to work on board vessels of member countries of the EU
OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE CON’T Port State Control (PSC): • GMA conducts PSC inspections within the framework of the Abuja Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for PSC in the West and Central African Sub region. • GMA targets 15% of foreign vessels calling at Ghanaian ports for PSC inspections.