Member Info for MikeGP

ahh... just finished reading that article,.. and:
_____

"“We welcome Brexit. It gives us better opportunities than when the UK was part of Europe”
Keith Muhakaniz
PERMANENT SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF FINANCE, PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
“Interest has dramatically improved. UK credit agencies are now providing more credit to us and other East African countries. The investment promotion and credit facilities that are being made available are also very welcome,” says Mr Muhakanizi.

Collaboration between the Department for International Development (DFID) – through Trade Mark East Africa (TMEA) – and the Uganda Revenue Authority has brought about several trade facilitation projects, including an automated system for customs data, a one-stop border post and an electronic cargo tracking system, which Ugandan officials say will lead to a reduction in clearance time by over 83 per cent in Mutukula on the Tanzanian border from 45 hours to eight hours, and a 79 per cent reduction at Busia on the Kenyan border from 14 hours to three hours, further facilitating intra-African trade for landlocked Uganda.
____

So a border crossing too?... did WSG mention a border crossing linked to the airport?

https://uganda.the-report.com/articles/bilateral-relations/

Certainly looks as if UK Plc is open to strengthening relations with Uganda post Brexit so the narrative backs up the theory. Hmm .. very interesting.

___

"Uganda – tipped by the Center for International Development at Harvard University to top the list of the fastest-growing economies to 2025 – is receiving plenty of attention. Trade between the two nations is growing, with the Office for National Statistics reporting that Uganda’s exports to the UK more than doubled in the period between 1999 and 2016. However, as Amelia Kyambadde, minister for trade, industry and cooperatives, points out, Uganda still has a large trade imbalance with the UK. “A way forward to improve our trade relations requires investment in value addition and the export of processed agricultural products like coffee and cotton,” she says, calling for UK companies to look at areas such as car assembly, drug manufacture and generator manufacturing in order to take advantage of Uganda’s strategic location and access to regional markets.

Uganda is also a beneficiary of the UK’s focus on Africa infrastructure investment, seen as crucial for the continent’s continued economic development. UK Export Finance (UKEF) recently announced that it would double export credit for Uganda to £600 million from £300 million. Ugandan-born Lord Dolar Popat, the prime minister’s trade envoy to Rwanda and Uganda, said that the facility will help the country to achieve its major infrastructure objectives by providing access to highly competitive long-term finance with very flexible UK content requirements, long tenures and attractive funding costs.

One project already underway is the construction of a new international airport in the Kabaale region. UKEF is providing 270 million euros – its largest-ever loan to an African government – to help support work on the construction of the runway, taxiway and cargo terminal to be carried out by UK infrastructure company Colas. The airport is due for completion in 2021, and will support a number of large-scale infrastructure and energy projects planned in the area.

https://statehouse.go.ug/why-uganda-best-investment-location-africa

Interesting:..... from that link: it identifies 6 airports where work is targeted and is described in the "Uganda’s Priority Sectors for Investment" section....

3. Transport (Aviation)
Title of Project: Upgrade of Priority Air Fields in the Tourism and Oil producing areas to Airports

Project Location: 6 Upcountry Locations

1. Kasese Airport (Kasese)

Project description: Upgrade to international airport construction of runway and associated taxi ways

Project cost: US $ 84 million

2. Gulu Airport (Gulu)

Project description: Upgrade to international airport, widening and strengthening of runway and new terminal

Project cost: US$ 162 million

3. Kisoro Airport (Kisoro)

Project description: Upgrade for tourism, upgrading and strengthening of the runway/ taxiway and apron

Project cost: US$ 20 million

4. Kabale Airport (Kabale)

Project description: New International Airport for the Oil Industry as part of the refinery

Project cost: US$ 192 million

5. Kidepo Airstrip

Project description: Upgrade for tourism benefits

Project cost: US$10 million

6. Arua Airport (Arua)

Project description: Upgrading for regional benefits, paving of the runway

Project cost: US$160 million

Contact: Manager Strategic Planning, Tel. (256) 312 352000 info@caa.go.ug, www.caa.go.ug

3. Transport (Aviation)
Title of Project: Upgrade of Priority Air Fields in the Tourism and Oil producing areas to Airports

Project Location: 6 Upcountry Locations

1. Kasese Airport (Kasese)

Project description: Upgrade to international airport construction of runway and associated taxi ways

Project cost: US $ 84 million

2. Gulu Airport (Gulu)

Project description: Upgrade to international airport, widening and strengthening of runway and new terminal

Project cost: US$ 162 million

3. Kisoro Airport (Kisoro)

Project description: Upgrade for tourism, upgrading and strengthening of the runway/ taxiway and apron

Project cost: US$ 20 million

4. Kabale Airport (Kabale)

Project description: New International Airport for the Oil Industry as part of the refinery

Project cost: US$ 192 million

5. Kidepo Airstrip

Project description: Upgrade for tourism benefits

Project cost: US$10 million

6. Arua Airport (Arua)

Project description: Upgrading for regional benefits, paving of the runway

Project cost: US$160 million

Gibbo...

https://entebbe-airport.com

I'm guessing there's work to be done there? ... and perhaps in surrounding airports??? ie x 5????

Panza

To help with the basic maths that you couldn't get right.

1.5m x 1m= 1.5M2== £40==== £26.67/m2

IMHO you don't sound like an investor who wants the company to do well,... .or are even able to accept that this security related product is a good to addition to our already impressive product range..... you just sound stupid.

Another for the Iggy bin.

"Biden's speech was notable for what he didn't say: he made no mention of Iran.

The silence was almost jarring, given how relentlessly Trump's Secretary of State Mike Pompeo railed against Tehran as the root of all evil in the Middle East."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-55945942
_____

Hmmm,..... strange.... unless,..... perhaps,..... they are already preparing for behind the scenes negotiations and he didn't want to compromise or jeopardise that process by inflaming the situation with the usual US rhetoric. Time will tell. Iran was making for some movement by 21st Feb. Let's see what happens.

Agreed Gibbo,..... there is one African country that is planning a new airport larger than Heathrow and has a well developed airport infrastructure and has just finished its last aviation infrastructure plan ahead of schedule.

ahhh.. but jungle..

Unfortunately Fowler misread the link and has sourced 2000 White Label hot tubs which are now sat in the same warehouse as his redundant vending machines.
---
2021,... because of lock-down will be the year of the staycation,.. there is going to be a massive run on hot tubs.... prices will rocket,... and this time next year Rodders will all be millionaires!

Food for thought.

https://www.africanaerospace.aero/hot-hubs-for-african-expansion.html

Just a little food for thought;

https://www.portstrategy.com/news101/world/middle-east/meeting-the-vision-in-saudi-arabia

http://mps-gh.com/2020/12/15/mps-readies-for-afcfta-building-capacity-for-the-industrial-city-of-tema/

During the contract exchange meeting, the Contract Manager of EIFFAGE, Mr. Mohammed Juma, revealed that this contract extension entails building the yard from the reclaimed land level by the marine contractors (i.e. subbase level) to the final pavement including the formation of pavement layers with all the required data-networking, electrical, drainage, lighting and mechanical services etc.

The Land Works covers 4.2 ha right at the terminal’s waterfront (400m along the quay wall by 105m deep into the yard) stretching the MPS Terminal 3 quayside to 1,400m at dredged level of -16.90 m CD which will make the 4th New Berth fully operational (400m long).

Upon successful completion, the estimated total annual handling capacity of the MPS Terminal 3 will be in the range of 2.5 million TEUs where the actual volume handled in 2020 is in the range of 1.2 million TEUs.
-------

Come next year in January 2021 when trading officially begins on the AfCFTA platform, Ghana is already ready in the area of logistics and specifically port infrastructure. The added capacity that will be present by the completion of the 4th New Berth during the 2nd half of 2021, a year ahead of schedule, will further boost Tema Port’s capabilities to contribute to the success of AfCFTA.

Being one of the strongest emerging economies in West Africa (2nd largest) with a sturdy growth rate and burgeoning youthful population, many industrial companies have taken advantage and started to set up shop in Ghana to prepare for their penetration into the wider African market. This is bound to be a game changer for the model maritime nation.

https://www.harbourmaster.org/News/tema-port-ranked-largest-west-and-central-africa

The President of the Ports Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA), Michael Luguje (pictured), who happens also to be the Director-General of Ghana’s Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), has revealed that with the completion of phase 1 of the MPS Terminal 3, the Tema Port is currently the biggest in terms of capacity of all ports in the West and Central Africa.

‘We have the biggest container terminal within West and Central Africa. If you look at single terminal volumes that are handled, we were able to do 1 million TEUs at the close of 2018 and 2019. Barring COVID-19, our target was to cross the 1 million mark,’ the DG said.

He said this is being complemented by ongoing expansion of the Takoradi Port which includes the upgrading of the dry bulk jetty with conveyor systems, construction of the multipurpose Atlantic Terminal, the completed liquid bulk terminal, and the pending oil and gas services terminal.

‘The Liquid Bulk Terminal has the capacity to serve the whole liquid bulk industry for as many years to come,’ he said.

Luguje added that the fourth phase of development in Takoradi which is the oil and gas services hub will be a concentration of everything the offshore oil industry needs.

The Director-General of the GPHA also revealed that these port facilities will be additionally boosted by the initiative to construct the Mpakadan Inland Port and the Boankra Integrated Logistics Terminal which will begin soon.

‘Mpakadan is going to be linked by rail to the Tema Port. So, once Mpakadan is able to demonstrate the economic advantage of picking the container on rail and putting it on a barge via the lake to the North and continuing by road to its destination, naturally it will generate volumes,’ he suggested.

He also highlighted the Keta Port which is going to be the third major seaport in Ghana, and revealed that feasibility studies currently ongoing will be completed by end of the first quarter of 2021.

Jimzi,

"Tema, not in any sense transformational- v poor."
___

Ij order to make that statement you must have worked out how much profit/margin we are making at Tema. Can you please confirm what margin we are making at Tema?

Not too mention that getting Iran to end the enrichment of their Uranium and agree to a reduction, and the inspections by the IAEA to resume would be a nice quick 'win' for Biden in terms of foreign policy and his first few months in office.

Iran and the US could actually be back around the table quite quickly if the US are prepared to lift the sanctions that they uni-laterally imposed upon Iran when the US pulled out of the JCPOA.

Biden has pledged that he wants to get back to the deal; after all, he was instrumental putting that deal in place, alongside Obama. A deal that Iran adhered too,... up until the post that the US pulled out and put pressure on all other members to cease business with Iran.
The big question for WSG,.. will be even if things get back on track with the US and Iran over the next 6-12 months,... will they feel 'comfortable' enough to ratify the Contract and have boots on the ground in Iran?

In reality, I would imagine that once the contract is up and running the majority of the staff in country would be Iranian, trained and employed by WSG, or even a local subsidiary much like the staffing arrangement with Scanport at Tema.

Anyway, time will tell.

We may even have the opportunity to 'sell' on the contract... to the Chinese or Russians?
____

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/2/2/eu-official-could-mediate-return-to-iran-nuclear-pact-zarif

"Iran’s foreign minister has said a European Union official could help “synchronise” or “coordinate” efforts by Iran and the United States to return to a 2015 nuclear accord, as a standstill persists over which country will take the first step.

In an interview with CNN on Monday, Mohammad Javad Zarif said the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), created a joint commission coordinated by the EU’s foreign policy chief."

>>>>or are concentrating on depending on who you speak too.....
___
Indeed.

Proph,.... no,.... but if you can look at the size of the ships... just to see what size of ships are visiting the Port.

Sadly that can't be used to extrapolate any actual figures etc., as the ships are actually following a 'route'.... so, just by monitoring the number and size of the ships,.. we aren't able to calculate the TEU's diss-embarked/embark at the terminal.

However,... clearly if the overall volume and size of vessels being 'serviced' through the Tema Port it is clearly indicative of the level of business being done.... and business growth... hence it is worth monitoring.

Best.

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:-0.011/centery:5.613/zoom:16

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-iran-nuclear-idUSKBN29R28P

Biden, who took office on Wednesday, “can begin by removing all sanctions imposed since Trump assumed office and seek to re-enter and abide by the 2015 nuclear deal without altering its painstakingly negotiated terms,” Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote in Foreign Affairs magazine.

“In turn, Iran would reverse all the remedial measures it has taken in the wake of Trump’s withdrawal from the nuclear deal,” he said on Friday, adding that the “initiative squarely rests with Washington”

h&n
https://unity.ghanaports.org/publications/2ae93e7901d14c6c96b9725ac2719eb1.pdf

Suggests circa 1m.