Interview with Mr. Mohamed Samara, CEO of Meridian Port Services

16-09-2022

GNBCC is pleased to share this article on its business member, Meridian Port Services (MPS), based on an interview with CEO Mohamed Samara.

 

Can you tell us about yourself and your journey to becoming CEO for MPS?

I have been in the maritime industry straight for all my professional life. I have held different positions and capacities within this industry. I started out as a management trainee and moved my way up throughout the organization. I have been working in the maritime industry for 35 years with related experience working within the Transport Industry. Acquired deep knowledge in all the transport & logistics industry including shipping, port handling, container terminals, customs processes, forwarding and haulage of which I have spent 30 years in Ghana.

Leading a professional management team and overseeing all service departments including; Finance, Legal, Administration, Human Resource, Information Technology, Operations, Technical, Engineering, Commercial and Marketing, Project Implementation.

Introduced and implemented Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) Policies every step of the way and promoted Incident & Injury Free philosophy & culture. 

Proposed and managed Business Development, Investment and participated in setting long/short term goals in line with the Shareholder's objectives.

 

What is an accomplishment you are most proud of?

The successful implementation of the Tema Port Expansion Project (known as Terminal 3 of Tema Port) is the ultimate achievement I am most proud of in my life. Many countries go for decades with just one port. And to put it into perspective, Tema Port was the last port that was built in Ghana under the 1st President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah almost 70 years ago and the next that was built and successfully implemented is Terminal 3 of Tema Port which I overseen it’s development and implementation with a devoted team, so it’s definitely the greatest accomplishment in my life.

 

What should our members know about MPS?

Meridian Port Services Ltd (MPS) is a joint venture between Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) and Meridian Port Holdings Limited, which is, in turn, a joint venture with Bolloré Transport and Logistics and APM Terminals as the two main shareholders. MPS started with a concession to build and operate the first container terminal inside Tema port.  The construction, gearing and manning were completed on schedule and commenced operations in April 2007. Since then, MPS operated Terminal 2 up until 2019 when this facility (Terminal 3) was first commissioned and came into operation.

Upon the relocation of MPS activities from Terminal 2 to Terminal 3 and in accordance with the plan, MPS handed Terminal 2 to GPHA to develop the Break Bulk and Rolling cargo business which serves more of a multipurpose terminal. It is worthy to note that commodities are shipped in and out of  the country in few transport modes, one is containerized and the many others are in loose form (like cereals, clinker, cement) or in jute bags (rice, sugar etc.), mega bulk bags, liquid (oil, petroleum products& chemicals), steel, rolling vehicles & equipment etc. Ports are the gateway for their country’s economy and efficient ports (Container and Break Bulk) with good connectivity set in motion fora thriving economy and development.

Ghana’s economy is still in the development and industrial transformation phase, but we have seen a lot of growth happening in terms of volume and we have noticed some new non-traditional traffic routing here because we have the capacity for it.

Transit and transhipment are important for trade and industry because they enable the establishment of reliable connectivity with other consumer and or producer markets and encourage industries to trade within its wider economic zones. If you think of the AfCFTA, this is a treaty that covers the movement of goods at lower taxation rates within this economic zone which require considerable logistical infrastructure capacity and cost-effective connectivity between markets, MPS provides that.

MPS offers sustainable employment for many people, first we  have around 600 direct employees ,almost same number of jobs employed by contractors executing few outsourced activity which also is providing business sustainability for Ghanaian Business and additionally over a thousand persons that come to work for the terminal in different capacities including bankers, forwarders, ship agents, such as clearing agents etc. There are also various governmental and statutory agencies such as , port authority, police, national security, GSA, FDA, GRA etc.

 

How has your experience with GNBCC been so far and what do you expect for the future?

The experience with GNBCC has been good so far. For the future, it would be good to echo the positive achievements within the membership. We stand strong as a community. Europe is quite a saturated market so there are vast opportunities and market in Ghana and Africa. I look forward to regular forums when there are significant changes or challenges in the country like with the current inflation and exchange rate.

 

 

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