President Mahama Commissions MT Asharami Ghana LPG Vessel in South Korea | Discuss Ghana

On Thursday, March 12, 2026, President John Dramani Mahama reached another significant milestone in his five-day mission to South Korea by officially commissioning a state-of-the-art Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) carrier, the MT Asharami Ghana.

The ceremony took place at a major shipyard in the Republic of Korea, a global leader in maritime engineering, and was attended by industry leaders from the Sahara Group, West Africa Gas Limited (WAGL), and international energy partners.

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About the MT Asharami Ghana

The vessel is a high-tech, dual-fuel, fully refrigerated LPG carrier designed to meet the growing energy demands of the West African sub-region:

Capacity & Specs: Built in 2026, the vessel has an overall length of 180 meters, a width of 29 meters, and a deadweight capacity of approximately 29,406 tonnes.

Dual-Fuel Technology: The ship is capable of running on LPG itself, significantly reducing its carbon footprint during transit—aligning with global green shipping standards.

Ownership: The vessel forms part of the WAGL Energy initiative, a strategic partnership between the Sahara Group and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) focused on bridging Africa’s energy infrastructure gap.

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Strategic Importance for Ghana

President Mahama highlighted the vessel as a "strategic asset" that would directly impact the lives of Ghanaians:

Supply Reliability: While Ghana produces about 50% of its LPG locally, it remains dependent on imports for the rest. This vessel ensures a more reliable and secure supply chain for those imports.

Price Stabilization: By improving logistics and expanding shipping capacity, the government expects to see more stable pricing for households and businesses that rely on LPG.

Environmental Health: The President emphasized that making LPG more accessible is a key part of the "National Reset," as it provides a cleaner alternative to firewood and charcoal, reducing deforestation and indoor air pollution.

Regional Gateway: The launch reinforces Ghana’s role as a regional energy hub, supporting the AfCFTA goal of intra-African energy trade.