President John Dramani Mahama has expressed optimism that the commissioning of the MT Asharami Ghana, a new liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carrier, will strengthen the safe and efficient transportation of LPG to Ghana and support businesses, households and industries that rely on the fuel.
The President highlighted the growing importance of LPG to Ghana’s energy mix, noting that the country currently imports about half of its LPG requirements to meet domestic demand. He said the addition of the vessel would help enhance the reliability of supply chains while improving the efficiency and safety of transporting LPG into the country and across the West African sub-region.
President Mahama stated that beyond Ghana, the vessel would contribute to improving access to cleaner and more reliable energy across the West African sub-region, supporting economic activity and improving the quality of life for millions of people.
“Countries across our sub-region continue to expand access to cleaner and more reliable energy. Ghana imports 50 percent of our LPG requirements and so this vessel, MT Asharami Ghana, will strengthen our collective ability to transport LPG safely, efficiently and at scale. In doing so, it will help ensure that businesses, industries and households can depend on modern energy services that support economic growth and improve the quality of life of our citizens,” he said.
The President commended the leadership of Sahara Group, West African Gas Limited and their partners for investing in the vessel, describing the initiative as a strong example of how innovation, investment and collaboration can help bridge infrastructure gaps across Africa.
He said such partnerships are critical to deepening regional energy markets and unlocking sustainable economic opportunities across the continent.
Mahama made the remarks at the commissioning of the vessel where a commemorative plaque was unveiled, honouring his leadership and dedication to nation-building. The plaque recognizes what organizers described as his transformative leadership and his role in strengthening the foundations of democracy while promoting cooperation between Ghana and the Republic of Korea.
The MT Asharami Ghana is a modern LPG carrier designed to transport large volumes of liquefied petroleum gas safely across regional and international routes. Industry sources indicate that the vessel has a storage capacity of several thousand cubic metres of LPG and is equipped with advanced safety and cargo-handling systems that allow it to deliver gas efficiently to coastal terminals across West Africa.
The vessel’s commissioning comes at a time when LPG consumption in Ghana continues to rise as part of the country’s clean cooking and energy transition policies. National energy data shows that Ghana consumes more than 350,000 to 400,000 tonnes of LPG annually, with demand steadily increasing due to population growth, expanding industrial use and government efforts to promote LPG as a cleaner alternative to charcoal and firewood.
The addition of the MT Asharami Ghana will help strengthen Ghana’s LPG import and distribution capacity, reduce logistical bottlenecks and improve energy security while positioning the country as an important hub for LPG supply within the West African energy market.
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