The Port of Tema is planning a fundamental overhaul of how cement is discharged from vessels, with the port authority targeting a shift from traditional grab-and-hopper systems to pneumatic suction technology in a bid to eliminate the dust pollution that has long plagued cement handling operations at Ghana’s largest seaport.
The Director of Tema Port, Tebon Zumah, disclosed the plan at the fifth anniversary launch and durbar of Dzata Cement Limited on October 6, 2026, where he praised the wholly Ghanaian-owned cement producer for introducing an alternative handling model that has proven both cleaner and more efficient.
“We Really Don’t Like This Idea”
Mr. Zumah was blunt about the current state of cement handling at the port. “We really don’t like this idea of cement being handled in grabs and hopper form. If you get into the port, you will see when we are handling cement, there is a lot of dust. We want to modernize our ports and move away from that,” he said.
He explained that the port authority is considering the introduction of pneumatic suction systems in the coming years, which he said could significantly reduce dust emissions when cement vessels are berthed. “So we are thinking of having a suction system, pneumatic systems that, if you are in the industry, you are aware of, in the next few years,” Mr. Zumah added.
Pneumatic suction technology — also known as pneumatic conveying — works by using vacuum or pressure to move powdered materials such as cement through enclosed pipelines directly from a vessel’s hold to shore-based storage silos. Because the system is fully enclosed, it prevents the escape of dust into the surrounding environment. Industry operators such as Siwertell and Fuller Technologies have deployed such systems at ports globally, with pneumatic unloaders offering the additional advantage of being operable even during rain — a significant consideration for cement handling in Ghana’s coastal climate. The technology has been adopted at terminals such as Euroports’ TA168 terminal in the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, where a jointly fine-tuned pneumatic unloading system ensures what the operator describes as “exceptionally strict dust control” during operations.
Dzata Cement’s Jumbo Bag Model as a Template
Mr. Zumah singled out Dzata Cement for commendation, noting that unlike manufacturers that traditionally import cement in loose form for subsequent bagging at the port, Dzata Cement imports its products in jumbo bags — a model he said has improved both cleanliness and efficiency.
“When the company came to the scene within the port enclave and decided to question the status quo, the company decided that it will not follow the normal process of cement bagging,” he observed.
The practical result has been significant. Dzata Cement’s use of jumbo bags has enabled it to operate from prime berths at Tema Port, including Berths One and Two, without creating the environmental concerns associated with conventional cement discharge. “But because of the nature of Dzata Cement, we are able to handle them at Berth One and Two. Because they are in jumbo bags, they are neater, they are cleaner. In terms of environment, you cannot complain,” Mr. Zumah said.
Dzata Cement, located within the Tema Harbour enclave opposite the APM Terminal, was established with an initial investment exceeding $100 million on a 10-acre site near the port. Its Phase I facility featured a two-line re-bagging installed capacity of 1.2 million tonnes per annum using jumbo bags of imported bulk cement. The company, wholly owned by Ghanaian businessman Ibrahim Mahama, marked its fifth anniversary with the durbar event at which Mr. Zumah spoke.
A Broader Modernisation Agenda
The shift toward pneumatic suction forms part of a wider modernisation programme at the Port of Tema. In a September 2026 statement responding to claims that port congestion was driving up cement prices, the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) disclosed that it was already working to modernise cement and clinker handling at Tema, with plans to introduce “more efficient cargo-handling systems that will reduce reliance on traditional grabs and hoppers”.
The GPHA urged cement companies to invest in and adopt the new handling technology as it becomes available, arguing that improved discharge systems could increase discharge rates, reduce vessel turnaround times, and optimise berth utilisation. “Port efficiency is a shared responsibility,” the authority stated, pointing to vessel planning, adequate trucking capacity, efficient discharge, modern handling technology, and timely cargo evacuation as key components of a more efficient port operation.
The port authority has also undertaken strategic dredging of the bulk cargo section of the Port of Tema in anticipation of larger vessels and higher cargo volumes. Berth 13 now offers depths of up to 14 metres, while Berth 14 provides depths of up to 12 metres, allowing cement companies to receive larger vessels and potentially benefit from economies of scale. Berths 3, 13 and 14 have been designated as common-user berths for cement and clinker cargo, which cannot be handled alongside food-related cargo due to hygiene, safety and environmental requirements.
A Challenge to the Industry
Mr. Zumah encouraged other cement manufacturers to learn from Dzata Cement’s approach as the port pushes for cleaner handling practices. “We have encouraged all the others to copy notes and I got the assurance from Dzata that they will not be wicked at all; they will be prepared to share their notes. So I believe others will follow suit,” he said.
He urged Dzata Cement to sustain its focus on innovation and industry standards as the company enters its next phase of growth. “We can only say congratulations to Dzata Cement and request that [they] continue to be innovative, continue to set the standards,” he added.
A Port Under Pressure to Modernise
The push for cleaner cement handling comes amid broader pressures on Tema Port, which handles approximately 80 percent of Ghana’s import and export cargo and is the country’s largest seaport. In September 2026, stakeholders including the GPHA, the Ghana Revenue Authority, the Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, the Minister of Transport, and the Cement Manufacturers Association of Ghana met to address congestion involving cement vessels and to facilitate faster discharge of cement-related products, following fears of a GH¢12 increase in cement prices.
At that meeting, Mr. Zumah said the immediate priority was to clear the congestion by allowing cement vessels to discharge more efficiently, while longer-term measures would be explored to sustain the smooth handling of cement products.
The planned transition to pneumatic suction technology represents the most significant element of those longer-term measures. For a port that sits at the centre of Ghana’s construction supply chain — and for a cement industry that has faced rising costs and logistical bottlenecks — the shift could reduce both the environmental footprint of cement handling and the operational inefficiencies that have contributed to higher prices for consumers.
What the Transition Requires
Moving from grab-and-hopper discharge to pneumatic suction is not a simple equipment swap. It requires shore-side infrastructure — typically storage silos and enclosed conveying pipelines — as well as investment from cement manufacturers themselves. The GPHA has made clear that the adoption of modern handling technology is a shared responsibility, and Mr. Zumah’s remarks signal that the port authority expects the industry to move in step with its modernisation agenda.
Dzata Cement’s jumbo bag model has demonstrated that cleaner handling is commercially viable at Tema Port. The question now is whether the broader cement industry will follow that lead, and whether the pneumatic systems Mr. Zumah envisions will materialise within the “next few years” he described.
For now, the direction of travel is clear: Tema Port wants to shed its reputation as a dusty gateway for cement, and it is looking to technology — and to Dzata Cement’s example — to show the way.
