The team during the tour of the BOST facility at Tema.
The Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited (BOST) has announced it will soon take delivery of new pipelines to boost its operations.
The pipelines which are expected in the country from the U. S will increase the Tema Akosombo pipeline capacity from the current 6 inches to 12 inches.
Specifically, it was expected to support the expansion of oil storage capability at the Mami Water Depot from 120,000 metric tons to 230,000 metric tons, and the construction of two 70-kilometre pipelines to transport petroleum to the interior of Ghana.
“The additional 12-inch line will increase our capacity to move products, it will give us an additional 250 cubic meters per hour to be able to move the products to Akosombo and then to Buipe and Bolga by the badges.
What we have currently is doing about 40 cubic meters per hour so this pipeline will give us 530 per cent increase in our capacity so that is a significant improvement in what we currently do,” Managing Director of BOST, Edwin Provencal said.
He was speaking on the side-lines of a familiarization visit to BOST by the Minister of Public Enterprises, Joseph Cudjoe.
Mr Provencal indicated that the procurement of the pipelines from American Tank & Vessel Inc. (AT&V) began in 2009 after the Exim Bank in the U. S guaranteed a loan of $79.4 million to cover the export sale, as well as related local project costs in Ghana.
He said the equipment cost the country a total of $63 million dollars, but an additional $8 million has already been used to repair some of the yet-to-be shipped pipelines which had been damaged due to exposure to weather conditions over the period.
“The good news is that by the end of August 2021, the shipment of the pipeline will commence. We have procured a logistics provider to visit the site for the pipes and assess the facilities, and the firm tells us that the pipes are good and ready to be shipped to Ghana. Unfortunately, a 109 of them have been damaged and an additional $8 million had to be used to repair them, but the remaining are all in good shape,” he added.
Mr Cudjoe expressed satisfaction at the progress being made by BOST to improve its productivity and income generation.
He said it is the expectation of the government that State enterprises would be self-sufficient while providing excellent service and generating dividends.
He urged the management of BOST to continue working towards improving it productivity.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri