The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) has suspended with immediate effect all cruise vessels heading to Ghana.

This is one of the measures by the GPHA to control the spread of the pandemic, COVID - 19.

Speaking with JoyBusiness, General Manager Marketing and Corporate Affairs at the GPHA, Esther Gyebir-Donkor disclosed that the directive has been communicated to all stakeholders at the ports.

According to her, GPHA activated the temporary suspension to ensure that the country's marine ports are not used to import the deadly Coronavirus.
With immediate effect, all vessels coming to Ghana except cargo vessels will have to return to the port of sail.

According to Esther Donkor, the Authority is hopeful that the move will help control the pandemic.

“With immediate effect, we have decided to suspend all cruise vessels coming into the country except it is a cargo vessel. The Authority has also suspended all tourism activities at the ports including school excursions and all forms of institutional visits so that we can be able to manage the situation."

She has also been explaining what the Port Authority is doing to avoid suspected cargo vessels from entering the port.

"We have dedicated a separate anchorage area in terms of any suspected cases where the crew are checked and when the result is negative before we allow them to berth and offload so that we don't spread the virus," she said.

Meanwhile, trading at the port is expected to decline as a result of the outbreak.