Mahama’s Jamaica visit opens a new Atlantic Maritime door

President John Dramani Mahama's visit to Jamaica in August 2026 highlighted the potential for strengthening economic ties between the two nations. The visit focused on the historical and familial connections between Africa and the Caribbean, but also shifted towards exploring maritime opportunities.

During the visit, Mahama paid a visit to the Port of Kingston, which served as a catalyst for discussion about Tema, a growing maritime hub in Ghana and the Gulf of Guinea. The most significant question posed during the visit was whether there could be a connection between the two maritime hubs. Mahama suggested that the Foreign Ministers and heads of the maritime authorities of Ghana and Jamaica should work together to explore this possibility.

On the Ghanaian side, this involves Foreign Affairs Minister and MP for North Tongu, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and Dr. Kamal Deen Ali, the Director General of the Ghana Maritime Authority. Meanwhile, in Jamaica, it includes Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, and various trade agencies, exporters, carriers, and their Jamaican counterparts.

The economic potential of connecting the two hubs is supported by data showing that Jamaica exported approximately 78.59 million kilograms of aluminium oxide to Ghana in 2023, worth US$26.35 million. Additionally, Jamaica recently announced discussions with Ghana regarding the revival of their longstanding bauxite relationship, which could be worth around US$60 million.

However, this commodity relationship should not be confused with the existence of a Kingston-Tema container service. While there is significant cargo already crossing the Atlantic between the two countries, the challenge lies in diversifying the trade. This is where Dr. Ali's role becomes particularly crucial. The Ghana Maritime Authority must assess what goods are currently being shipped, through which ports, at what cost, and with what frequency. It is then necessary to identify what else can be feasibly shipped.

Hon. Ablakwa's task involves exploring customs cooperation, standards, regulatory coordination, trade facilitation, and other bilateral arrangements to reduce commercial friction. The two must work together to determine the commercial viability of a connection between the two ports. This could involve improved transshipment, feeder connectivity, or another structure built around existing carrier networks. However, any claims about job creation and cost savings should be evidence-based rather than promotional.

Mahama's visit has opened a door to explore the potential of Ghana and Jamaica's maritime relationship, but success will depend on detailed economic analysis and the involvement of various stakeholders in both countries.