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PORT GUIDE · FOR OFFICERS, MASTERS AND SHORE TEAMS

Tema

GHTEMGhana05°37.2′N 000°01.2′EUpdated Sep 2024Open in the Ports tool

PILOTPilot boards at Tema pilot boarding place (SBM and ABB).
KEY DATAUTC+0 · IALA A · deepest berth 16.00 m draught

Pilot

updated Jan 2017
12
Blue: Tema. Magenta: where the pilot boards (numbered as the list). Drawn by NaviBoss for planning, not for navigation.
  1. Tema pilot boarding place (SBM and ABB) Pilot boards05°37.3′N 000°05.9′E
  2. Tema pilot boarding place (Terminal 3) Pilot boards05°36.9′N 000°02.9′E

Compulsory for all vessels. It is recommended that at least 24 hours notice should be given of the vessel's ETA. Pilotage is available throughout 24 hours a day except for the Valco and oil berths, where vessel movements are restricted to between 0600-1800hrs. The pilot boards the vessel approx 1nm E from the head of Main Breakwater, (05°37.47'N 000°02.12'E). Contact pilots on VHF Ch 14, through Port Control. In bad weather, the pilot will board 1nm SE of the normal pilot station.

Key data

updated Aug 2024
LOCAL TIMEUTC+0No summer time.worked out from the port's time zone
WATER DENSITY1025.
LOAD LINE ZONETropical.
IALA REGIONARed to port when entering.from the country
MAX SIZEHarbour: LOA 366.47m, draught 16.0m, beam 51.2m, 204,748DWT.

Size limits

Harbour: LOA 366.47m, draught 16.0m, beam 51.2m, 204,748DWT.

Offshore: LOA 275m, 159,149DWT.

Water density

1025.

Load line zone

Tropical.

Tides

Range 1.6m. The Guinea Current sets NE along the coast at a rate of approx 0.5kt, approx 3nm SE of Tema.

Max draft per terminal

TerminalMax draughtMax LOABerths
Tema New Port (MPS Terminal 3)16.00 m366 m4
Tema Oil Refinery (TOR)9.70 m275 m3
VALCO Terminal9.60 m180 m1
Multipurpose Terminal9.20 m279 m4
Tema Port Terminal8.20 m211 m7
Tema Finger Pier—236 m2

Deepest first. The draught is the largest any of the terminal's berths states; a dash means the source gives none.

Approach

updated Jul 2024

Approach

The main port can be approached from E through S to SW and entered between the heads of two breakwaters, which are 244m apart. The entrance to Main Harbour is approx 240m in width with a least depth of 12.5m.

New Main Harbour Breakwater Lights (15m high).

Outer Breakwater Red: Mo(U) R 10s 7m 15M (Racon).

Inner Breakwater Green: Iso G 10s 7m 15M.

Tema New Port: A 250m wide, dredged, 19m deep access channel leads into the new port area.

Anchorages

Mooring Buoys: Two sets of mooring buoys with depths of 10.3m to 10.9m and with lengths of 137 and 198 metres

between them.

Restrictions

Vessels can enter Tema throughout 24 hours, with the exception of Valco and Oil Berths which are restricted to 0600-1800hrs.

Any vessel planning to call at Tema with a draught of more than 8.0m is recommended to contact their agents concerning berthing options.

Deep draught vessels enter only at high tide to ensure sufficient under keel clearance.

Tugs

Compulsory with 1 hours notice required. Four tugs available, 2 x 2,500hp, 1 x 2,492hp, 1 x 2,202hp. All tugs are fitted with pumps and monitors for fire-fighting. Two tugs are fitted with oil booms and skimmers for oil pollution incidents. A minimum of two tugs join arriving vessels at the harbour entrance and departing vessels alongside berth.

Mooring

Usually vessels berth starboard side alongside at Berths Nos 2, 6 and 9 and port side alongside at Nos 3, 4, 5, 10-12. at Valco and oil wharf, always starboard side alongside.

Charts and publications

BA 1383, 1384, 3432. Admiralty Pilot NP1, NP286(8).

Reporting before arrival

updated Jan 2017

Communications

VHF: Port Control Ch 16; 14. Tel: +233 30 320 2212.

Health

All crew require valid certificates of vaccination against Yellow Fever, which are inspected by Port Health Authorities. In case of any suspected disease or fever onboard, agent should be notified in advance by radio.

Ship Sanitation Control Certificate and Exemption Certificates renewed.

Customs and immigration

Immigration officials inspect the vessel upon berthing in the port.

Flags

Vessels are required to fly relevant flags.

Notices and regulations

Permission must be obtained before taking photographs.

Crew members are free to go ashore at anytime of the day or night after the immigration office has issued shore passes.

No person shall load or discharge explosives without the consent of the Port Operations Manager.

It is strictly forbidden to undertake main engine work without prior permission of the Port Operations Manager.

MARPOL Regulations:

No refuse or waste material of any description is allowed to be pumped or thrown overboard from vessels into the sea.

Inspections

Inspection of ships in Ghana

Hydrography and state inspection of ships:

Ghana Maritime Authority

Technical Services Division

No. E354/3, 3rd Avenue, East Ridge, Ministries Post Office,

PMB 34, Accra, Ghana

Tel: +233 21 684392 and 3

Fax: +233 21 677702

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.ghanamaritime.org.

ISPS

ISPS Designated Authority: Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority.

Position: Port Facility Security Officer and Harbour Master.

Address: PO Box 139, Tema, Ghana.

Tel: +233 22 202815.

Mob: +233 90 244 329589

Recognised Security Organisations (RSO):

International Maritime Security

Address: The Garden House,

Little Chilmington, Kent TN23 3DN, England

Tel: +44 1233 613412

Fax: +44 1233 635290

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.intmarsec.co.uk

Persons responsible for Port Security:

For further ISPS information see IMO website http://www.imo.org.

Port services

updated Jul 2024

Repairs

Available.

Bunkers, water and stores

Fresh water: Available at all berths, rate 50tph.

Bunkering: Fuel oil and diesel oil are available by road tanker only. Heavy fuel oil bunkers available from the oil jetty.

Stores: Available.

Medical

Nearest hospital: Tema General Hospital, 8.9km.

Crew change

Crew changes through the shipping Master's office and the Ghana Maritime Authority.

Transport

Nearest airport: Kotoka International Airport - Accra, 27.8km.

Nearest railway: Batsonaa Train Station, 19.0km.

Working hours

Normally weekdays 0730-1930hrs. Sat 0730-1230hrs (on request). Two or three shifts can be worked at the request of the vessel.

About Tema

updated Sep 2024

Where it is

Tema serves as the port area for Ghana's capital, Accra, and is situated approx 25km along the coast to the E of that city, in the Gulf of Guinea.

The port

The port area is formed by two breakwaters, the main one being 2,000m in length and the smaller, the lee breakwater, 1,500m. Outside the lee breakwater to the NE are two fishing harbours, inner and outer, with separate entrances. Tema mainly handles container traffic, which includes transit containers to the landlocked countries of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. The port has one of the largest drydocks in Africa.

A new port area to the SW, and Container Terminal currently start operating.

Imports: Alumina clinker, caustic soda, cement, clinker, crude oil, consumer goods, fish, machinery and tallow.

Exports: Cocoa beans, cotton, fruit/vegetables, nuts, liquid bulk and petroleum products.

Traffic

Approx 19,000,000t of cargo, 2,000,000TEU, 2,000 vessels handled annually.

Questions about Tema

Where does the pilot board at Tema?

The pilot boards at Tema pilot boarding place (SBM and ABB), 05°37.3′N 000°05.9′E. Tema has 2 pilot boarding places.

What time zone is Tema in?

Local time at Tema is UTC+0. No summer time.

What is the maximum draft at Tema?

The deepest berth listed is at Tema New Port (MPS Terminal 3): 16.00 m maximum draught. The "Max draft per terminal" table gives each terminal's figure.

What is the water density at Tema?

1025.

Which load line zone is Tema in?

Tropical.

What is the UN/LOCODE of Tema?

The UN/LOCODE of Tema is GHTEM.

Tips from seafarers

What crews who called at Tema say: pilot boarding, the agent's papers, inspections, shore leave. Each tip is shown with the writer's rank and ship type, and an AI summary sits on top once there are three or more.

Read and add tips for Tema →

Plan a route to Tema →

A planning aid, not for navigation. These facts come from public sources and each section shows how old it is. Check with the port, your agent, your ENCs and official publications. Spotted something wrong? Tell us on the feedback board.