A pair of Cummins QSK95 engines are helping power expansion projects at the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA). GPHA is the national port authority of Ghana, responsible for the governance, maintenance, and operation of the country's ports.
These ports have seen a dramatic increase in total cargo traffic, transit cargo, and container traffic, which has prompted expansion projects. To increase its handling capacity, a major expansion and infrastructure upgrade will require bigger vessels and higher capacity engines.
The addition of three RAstar 3300 series tugs is currently on order, and will be delivered end 2019. The Turkey-based Torgem Shipyard is constructing the new ship-docking tugs. Torgem Shipyard has been at the forefront of modern ship construction, serving as the construction site for over 100 new building projects.
The facility is equipped to handle the building, repair, maintenance, and conversion of a wide range of vessels, including chemical tankers, cargo ships, tugboats and mega-yachts.
Each of the new tugs will be powered by a pair of Cummins QSK95 engines. Once built, the three custom-designed tugs will enter service with the GPHA on the west coast of Africa, where shipping volumes are increasing, creating a requirement for powerful modern tugboats.
They will be equipped to fulfil a multitude of tasks for the GPHA, including but not limited to ship-assist, fire-fighting, and pollution response.
Leaders from GPHA and Torgem Shipyard recently travelled to visit Cummins facilities in Indiana in the US. Their visit included stops at Walesboro for a full-day QSK95 marine training, a visit to the History & Restoration Center (HRC) in Columbus, and meetings with Cummins senior leaders in the Indianapolis DBUHQ.
The group toured the Seymour Engine Plant (SEP) and even experienced a witness test of the QSK95. In addition, they had the chance to see a test cell with a QSK95 engine running at the Cummins Technical Center (CTC).
"The witness test boosts our confidence in Cummins. Once you see it tested, you have confidence it will perform to the desired level," Comander Stephen Abane Ayeo of GPHA explained. "We know Cummins. They're durable, economical, and strong, and provide good maintenance support. We've been a partner for over 30 years.”