GMA Partners Norway to Advance Ocean Governance

The Ghana Maritime Authority has partnered with the Norwegian government to strengthen a strategic partnership on ocean governance.

This collaboration was disclosed during a visit from the Norwegian Ambassador to Ghana, Dr John Mikel Kvistad, and Deputy Head of Mission, Ingrid Skjølaas.

The meeting, held on Tuesday with GMA Director General Dr Kamal-Deen, focused on enhancing cooperation in shipping and maritime industry issues.

The Director General stated that Ghana is now finalising its National Action Plan to reduce maritime emissions. This plan, he said, will support the implementation of Just-in-Time (JIT) sailing at the Tema Port, an operational strategy that matches a vessel’s speed to the port’s real-time berthing schedule.

Dr Ali emphasised the significance of the Ocean Panel, a unique group of world leaders committed to sustainably managing their national waters to foster a healthy ocean and a resilient blue economy. He noted his personal contributions as an author of the panel initiatives.

He also highlighted the GMA’s role in overseeing ocean security alongside the Ghana Navy, utilising the Vessel Traffic Monitoring and Information System (VTMIS) and ongoing plans to upgrade it for monitoring the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). “Continuous collective effort is vital to sustain the significant reduction in maritime threats achieved in recent years,” Dr Ali stated.

The Director General stressed the importance of capacity building, expressing hope for the revival of the NORAD Capacity Building Program and acknowledging Norway’s historical role in developing Ghana’s National Integrated Maritime Strategy (NIMS).

Recognising the challenges of retrofitting older vessels in the African region, he indicated that the GMA is actively seeking best practices from Norway on onboard carbon capture technology, which filters and stores carbon dioxide from a vessel’s exhaust to reduce emissions at sea.

Dr Ali acknowledged the crucial support of Norway on green initiatives, particularly under the Green Voyage program, an initiative led by the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) Technical Cooperation Programme, aimed at supporting developing countries, including Small Island Developing States.

Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs), in reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from shipping

Ambassador Kvistad emphasises Norway’s role at the forefront of modernisation, technology, and climate action, areas the country views as crucial for a sustainable global maritime future, noting it as a country with one of the world’s fourth-largest commercial fleets.

He expressed a keen interest in understanding Ghana’s perspective on maritime safety, security, and environmental issues, given Ghana’s own geographically extensive coastline and its regional leadership in these critical areas.

Dr Kvistad assured the unwavering commitment to exploring this future-looking green technology, especially as Ghana seeks best practices.

The meeting reinforced a shared commitment between the two countries to building a resilient, secure, and sustainable maritime sector through deepened bilateral cooperation.

Margaret Adjeley Sowah, ISD