Ancient Paddles to Low-Carbon Vessels: Why Ghana Must Move Maritime Policy into Action

Long before engine rooms existed, people crossed water using muscle and wind. Early vessels relied on paddles and oars; sail later extended mariners' reach, established trading routes and connected societies previously divided by oceans. Sailing ships, however, remained at the mercy of the weather. Unpredictable speeds and arrival times constrained trade, and that uncertainty held back commerce for centuries.

World Maritime Day 2026, observed on 24 September under the theme "From Policy to Practice Powering Maritime Excellence," draws attention to a maritime industry that underpins more than 80 per cent of international goods trade by volume and demands that nations translate global rules into consistent national action.

The steam engine altered humanity's relationship with the sea. During the nineteenth century, paddle wheels and later the screw propeller let ships move reliably without waiting for favourable winds. Iron and steel hulls grew larger and stronger, and by the century's end, the steam turbine provided greater power and smoother operation. In the early twentieth century, marine diesel engines began yet another transition, their fuel economy and efficiency eventually making diesel the dominant propulsion source for most merchant vessels.

The industry hidden in everyday life

Today, propulsion is entering another era of change. Conventional engines still move most world trade, but the industry is testing and adopting cleaner fuels, battery systems, fuel cells, wind-assisted propulsion and more efficient voyage planning. The question has shifted from how to move a ship across the sea to how to do so safely, affordably and with far lower greenhouse gas emissions.

For most people, the maritime industry is little more than the image of a large vessel on the horizon. In reality it is an extensive system of ships, ports, people, laws, finance, engineering and logistics. UN Trade and Development estimates that more than 80 per cent of international goods trade by volume moves by sea, meaning the sector operates quietly behind the food people eat, the fuel they use, the medicines in hospitals, the vehicles on roads and the phones in their hands.

The sector encompasses ship operations and port management, shipbuilding and marine engineering, fisheries and aquaculture, offshore energy and minerals, maritime tourism, ocean research, and education and training. Within merchant shipping, bulk carriers move commodities such as grain, bauxite, manganese, coal and cement; tankers carry crude oil, petroleum products, chemicals and liquefied gases; and specialised ships transport vehicles, refrigerated cargo, livestock or heavy equipment.

The container revolution and maritime law

Containerisation explains much of the modern maritime world. Before its arrival, general cargo could spend days or weeks in port while stevedores handled separate bags, barrels, crates and machines — work that was slow, labour-intensive and vulnerable to damage and theft. From the 1950s, Malcolm McLean advanced the use of standard metal boxes movable between truck, train and ship. In 1966, Sea-Land launched a deep-sea container service using dedicated ships, cell guides and shore gantry cranes. Port stays fell sharply, cargo-handling productivity rose and the transport chain became easier to plan — though it also demanded heavy investment in stronger quays, deeper berths, cranes, storage yards, information systems and larger ships.

A ship is not an anonymous object roaming an unregulated ocean. It must be registered in a State, fly that State's flag and comply with national and international requirements. The flag State holds legal and technical responsibility over the vessel. Classification societies establish and verify technical standards for hulls, machinery and equipment, while port States inspect visiting foreign ships and may detain those with serious deficiencies. The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea defines maritime zones and balances the rights and duties of coastal States, flag States and the wider international community.

The International Maritime Organization develops the global rules that govern safety, security and environmental responsibility. These include the SOLAS Convention on safety of life at sea, MARPOL on pollution prevention, the STCW Convention on seafarer training and certification, and the ISPS Code on ship and port security. Their purpose is practical: watertight subdivision keeps damaged ships afloat, distress systems help rescuers locate people in danger, crew certification ensures trained professionals operate complex vessels, pollution rules protect coastal communities and marine ecosystems, and security measures reduce the vulnerability of ships and ports to unlawful acts.

What this means for Ghana

World Maritime Day's 2026 theme speaks directly to the central challenge of maritime governance: international rules achieve little if they remain in convention texts or policy statements. Governments must incorporate them into national law, train personnel, conduct surveys and inspections, investigate casualties, share information and enforce standards consistently. Companies must maintain ships and protect workers. Ports must convert requirements into safe and efficient procedures. The real measure of excellence is not the number of conventions ratified but whether ships are seaworthy, seafarers return home safely, cargo moves through ports efficiently, pollution is prevented and institutions can respond when something goes wrong.

Ghana's prosperity is inseparable from the sea. The ports of Tema and Takoradi connect producers and consumers to global markets and support trade with neighbouring landlocked countries. Tema is Ghana's largest port and principal container gateway, while Takoradi remains central to mineral, agricultural and energy-related exports. Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority data show that Takoradi handled 77.4 per cent of Ghana's seaborne exports in 2024 — figures that reflect jobs, public revenue, industrial inputs and the competitiveness of Ghanaian businesses.

Port expansion must therefore be matched by efficient clearance, reliable road and rail links, modern digital systems, transparent charges and skilled personnel. Work already under way at Tema to improve port-call optimisation can reduce waiting time, fuel consumption and emissions. That practical collaboration among the Ghana Maritime Authority, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, terminal operators, Customs, Immigration, Port Health and shipping lines illustrates what moving policy into practice actually means.

Safety and security require equal seriousness. Ghana operates in the Gulf of Guinea, where piracy, armed robbery, illegal fishing, drug trafficking and other organised maritime crimes can undermine trade and coastal livelihoods. Effective implementation requires coordination among the maritime administration, Navy, Marine Police, ports, fisheries authorities, intelligence services and prosecutors, supported by regional cooperation. As navigation, cargo documentation and terminal operations become increasingly digital, ships and ports must also strengthen their cyber resilience.