Ghana’s navy receives four new patrol vessels

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Ghana’s navy on Monday took delivery of four new Chinese-built patrol ships for combating piracy and increasing maritime security in its territorial waters, as the country modernises and expands its navy.

“Ghana Armed Forces will ensure the country’s territorial integrity and provide safe sea passage to all legitimate traffic while combating illegal activities including bunkering, drug trafficking, poaching and pair-trawling,” said Ghana’s defence minister Lieutenant General Joseph Henry Smith at the vessels’ reception ceremony at Takoradi Port.

The four 46 metre vessels, named GNS Blika, GNS Garinga, GNS Chemle and GNS Ehwor, were built by China’s Poly Technologies Incorporated, the Ghana News Agency reports. Prior to delivery, personnel from Ghana’s navy went on a month-long training course in China.
“Take very good care of these strategic assets, put them to good use for the nation, and also ensure that their lifespan is prolonged”, Smith said.

Minister for Food and Agriculture Kwasi Ahwoi said the acquisition of the vessels would assist the navy in controlling illegal fishing.

The Flag Officer Commanding the Western Naval Command, Commodore Samuel Timothy Appiah, said the four ships will go a long way to addressing the navy’s inability to protect Ghana’s maritime resources.

The four new vessels will be towed to Sekondi Naval Harbour where they will be commissioned for use before the end of the year.

According to Citi News, the four patrol vessels cost around US$68 million. In September 2008 Ghana signed a US$39.86 million contract with Poly Technologies Incorporated (PTI) for two of the vessels, which are being funded by Ghana’s Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

In July last year Jane’s reported that Ghana’s Navy plans to acquire ten new vessels over the next two years. Ghana is also expanding its Naval Dockyard in the southwest of the country. Janes believes Ghana has ordered two 62 metre patrol craft from South Korea for delivery by July 2013.

On January 21, Ghana’s navy commissioned a refurbished Sea Dolphin-class fast-attack craft donated by South Korea. The vessel, GNS Stephen Otu, is being joined by two fast attack craft from Germany – in July last year Ghana announced the acquisition of two decommissioned Gepard class fast attack craft, which are 58 metres long and weigh 398 tonnes.

In 2008 the US government gave Ghana three ex-Coast Guard Defender class boats and another four in March last year and in December last year the Ghana Navy received six new speedboats.
“We have constantly been reviewing our measures to safeguard our waters, most importantly to protect our oil installations,” Smith told Reuters last month.
“We are aware of the increasing piracy attacks in our neighbourhood and we are very much prepared to face any such attacks.”

Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea is not on the scale of that off Somalia, but analysts say an increase in scope and number of attacks in a region ill-equipped to counter the threat could affect shipping and investment. For instance, Cameroon blamed piracy for part of a 13 percent drop in oil output in 2009.

Other maritime problems include piracy and drug trafficking. The United Nations estimates that US$1 billion worth of cocaine, destined for Europe from Latin America, passed through West Africa in 2008.

Ghana’s Navy is relatively small, with 2 000 personnel, according to the IISS’s 2011 The Military Balance. It operates two 1940s-era Balsam class vessels previously operated by the US Coast Guard, four fast attack craft built by Lurssen (two PB 45 Dzata class and two PB 57 Achimota class vessels) and a single PB Mk III inshore patrol boat that was transferred from the US Navy in 2001.

Ghana is also strengthening its air force and recently ordered two Airbus Military C295 transports, an Embraer 190 and two Diamond DA 42 surveillance aircraft which will presumably be used for maritime patrol, especially safeguarding Ghana’s offshore oil assets – the country becoming a major oil producer in the region after beginning production in December last year.