Ghana’s liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supply chain has received a major infrastructure boost following the commissioning of a new 6,000-metric-tonne storage terminal at the Tema Oil Jetty.
The facility, developed by Asharami Ghana, a subsidiary of the Sahara Group, was commissioned on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, alongside the maiden arrival of the company’s LPG vessel, MT Asharami Ghana, which delivered approximately 5,000 metric tonnes of LPG to Ghana.
The commissioning was witnessed by the Minister of Energy and Green Transition, Dr John Abdulai Jinapor, who served as Special Guest of Honour, together with the Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Godwin Kudzo Tameklo, and other stakeholders in the downstream petroleum sector.
In a statement following the event, Dr Jinapor described the investment as an important addition to Ghana’s energy infrastructure, saying the increased storage capacity would strengthen the country’s ability to maintain reliable LPG supplies.
He said the infrastructure was particularly important as government works towards its target of at least 50 per cent LPG access by 2030.
“Investments such as this are critical to expanding access to cleaner cooking, improving energy security and building resilience across the LPG supply chain,” Dr Jinapor said.
The Minister also commended Asharami Ghana and the Sahara Group for their confidence in the Ghanaian market, noting that the investment could create opportunities across trading, logistics, transportation, distribution and other related sectors.
5,000MT maiden cargo arrives
The terminal commissioning coincided with the maiden voyage of MT Asharami Ghana to the country.
The vessel arrived at the Tema Oil Jetty carrying approximately 5,000 metric tonnes of LPG, providing an immediate consignment for the domestic market.
The vessel is a 40,000-cubic-metre, dual-fuel, fully refrigerated LPG carrier commissioned by President John Dramani Mahama in Ulsan, South Korea, in March 2026. It was built by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries.
At the vessel’s commissioning in South Korea, President Mahama said Ghana still imported about half of its LPG requirements, making investments in transportation and storage important to strengthening supply security.
He said MT Asharami Ghana would help Ghana transport LPG “safely, efficiently, and at scale”, while supporting businesses, industries and households that depend on modern energy services.
Asharami praises NPA support
Executive Director of Asharami Ghana, Adewale Ajibade, used the Tema commissioning ceremony to acknowledge NPA Chief Executive Godwin Edudzi Tameklo for his support in facilitating the vessel’s arrival.
Mr Ajibade said the NPA’s guidance had been instrumental in moving the company’s plans from conception to implementation.
“I acknowledge you specifically for your role, support and for tolerating us, not necessarily bending the rules, but accommodating some of those shortcomings and ensuring that this happened,” he told the NPA CEO.
He added: “Your guidance and unwavering support helped transform this aspiration into a reality.”
The comments underline the regulatory dimension of the investment as Asharami Ghana expands its operations within Ghana’s downstream petroleum market.
Part of wider LPG infrastructure strategy
The 6,000-metric-tonne facility represents the first phase of a planned 12,000-metric-tonne land-based LPG storage terminal in Tema.
Sahara Group has described the terminal and MT Asharami Ghana as components of an integrated LPG strategy linking shipping, storage and downstream distribution.
When MT Asharami Ghana was commissioned in March, Sahara Group said the vessel would provide an additional 25,000 metric tonnes of LPG stock security for the Ghanaian economy alongside the onshore storage investment.
The vessel also brought Sahara Group’s delivered LPG carrier fleet to six vessels with a combined capacity of 202,000 cubic metres.
Sahara Group Executive Director Temitope Shonubi said the vessel forms part of the company’s broader integrated LPG infrastructure strategy and acknowledged Asharami Ghana Managing Director Yaa Serwaa Alifo for championing the decision to dedicate the vessel to Ghana and its landlocked neighbours.
The company has also indicated that additional LPG shipping capacity is under development, with a further 270,000 cubic metres expected to be delivered by September 2028.
For Ghana, the combination of dedicated shipping capacity and expanded onshore storage is expected to strengthen the infrastructure supporting LPG imports, storage and distribution as demand for cleaner cooking fuel grows.
The development also comes as government seeks to raise LPG access to at least 50 per cent by 2030, with infrastructure investment forming part of the effort to improve availability and resilience across the LPG supply chain.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
