en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Ghanaian government, through the Ministry of Transport and the Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA), has signed a commercial offtake agreement with MES Logistics Company, thereby launching the country's first structured container rail freight service focused on heavy industrial cargo transportation. Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe announced this collaboration, hailing it as a significant milestone in Ghana's infrastructure expansion plan for rail freight.
Minister Nikpe stated that the partnership with MES Logistics will enable rail cargo transportation, aiming to alleviate congestion at the Tema Port and on major roads, reduce logistics costs, improve supply chain efficiency, and decrease road accidents caused by heavy trucks. According to official information from the Ministry of Transport, the newly acquired rolling stock includes two heavy-duty freight Class 56 locomotives and twenty container wagons, with a procurement cost of approximately 37.6 million Ghanaian cedis (about $3.18 million). These assets are designed as revenue-generating freight machinery, specifically for transporting containers and industrial goods between Tema Port and Mpakadan.
The investment in acquiring two locomotives and twenty wagons is considered a sound economic decision. Financial projections indicate that the confirmed offtake agreement is expected to generate approximately $3.5 million in annual revenue. This revenue stream is anticipated to allow the initial investment to be recovered within two years, while under a strict routine maintenance regime, these vehicles should provide at least fifteen more years of productive commercial service. The Minister emphasized that efficient operations and proper maintenance will support industrial growth and bring sustainable revenue to the railway sector.
To ensure the Tema-Mpakadan railway line can immediately handle intensive freight demand, the GRDA has deployed necessary lifting equipment on site, including two reach stackers capable of loading and unloading containers directly from rail wagons, and five heavy-duty forklifts to support container handling, terminal operations, and related logistics activities. Additionally, the procurement of two gantry cranes has been initiated to consolidate long-term handling capacity.
Minister Nikpe urged the Ghana Railway Development Authority and its partners to prudently manage these assets to ensure operational efficiency, financial sustainability, and the continued expansion of railway services nationwide. He reiterated the government's commitment to transforming the railway sector into a key driver of economic growth, trade facilitation, and national development, repositioning the railway department as a high-quality asset supporting the country's broader economic goals.
