Guarding Ghana’s Gateway: Balancing Free Trade, Maritime Security, and Environmental Stewardship

Francisca Ziniel, has experience in cargo security, import and export, trained in maritime security, international affairs and diplomacy. She is  country director at Catholic Youth Network For Environmental Sustainability in Africa (Cynesa).  

This interview has been authorised for publication by Francisca Ziniel.

We thank you, Francisca Ziniel for accepting our interview with the Saint Pierre International Security Center.

SPCIS: How can coastal states strengthen cargo security without impeding legitimate maritime trade flows?

Francisca Ziniel: As a Maritime security personnel and a rummaging Officer working at the Port of Tema in Ghana, Cargo Security falls under the various measures and procedures that are in place to protect the transportation of goods from damage, theft, and being used as a means of committing crimes.

As much as cargo security is critical, the fact that cargo is also used as a means of committing transnational crimes such as illegal drug trade, arms and ammunition, and other contrabands, which breaches both domestic and international laws. Therefore, coastal states can strengthen cargo security through effective collaboration among maritime stakeholders, training and equipping the various stakeholders in their different laws and mandates and using information sharing and joint enforcement to strengthen cargo security without impeding maritime trade flows.  This can include effective vessel profiling, targeted inspections, and intelligence sharing.

SPCIS:  Which multilateral mechanisms best balance environmental stewardship with the free movement of goods at sea?

Francisca Ziniel: As a rummaging officer, one thing we look out for during inspections is the ship’s information on ballast water management in line with MARPOL. This is to prevent pollution by ships in the Gulf of Guinea and Ghana’s waters, as Ghana is also a party to the Abidjan Convention, which aims to promote regional cooperation on marine pollution and ecosystem protection. The Abidjan Convention provides consistent standards and regulations across the region and uniform enforcement procedures, which help eliminate discrimination while facilitating maritime trade flow. Therefore, although a security officer, knowledge of MARPOL is essential for ensuring its effective enforcement at Tema Port.

SPCIS: In your experience, what emerging climate-driven risks most concern maritime security professionals today?

Francisca Ziniel: In my experience of working with various Ports within the sub-region, I have witnessed how climate risks threaten both infrastructure and cargo flows.

For instance, in Tema, climate change is leading to uncertain rainfall patterns, heavy rainfall, and coastal erosion becoming more frequent, which can delay operations, damage port facilities, and expose stored cargo to loss.

Therefore, maritime security professionals are also worried about how this can lead the coastal population, who rely on the fishing business, to opt for illicit maritime activities. Many fishing folks, through interactions with them, have lamented over low fish stock, competition with Chinese fishing trawlers, and the high cost of fishing fuel, nets, and other things, which is making the business no longer viable for them. The problem lies in venturing into alternative development and listening to these folks and being intentional in finding real and needed sustainable solutions to their problems.

SPCIS: How can international cooperation on port resilience help nations meet shared climate goals while respecting sovereignty?

 

Francisca Ziniel: Tema Port, through available information, has already benefited from international partnerships for capacity building, such as training in green port practices and resilience planning under initiatives supported by the World Bank and IMO. The problem still lies in effective collaboration with the necessary stakeholders and allowing others to freely operate in conducting independent research, having access to information, and investing in early warning and digital monitoring systems. There can also be put in place exchange programs and working visits to sustainable ports in the world to empower and equip Port Officers and make them accountable, sustainable leaders.

SPCIS: Could you share a positive example where maritime security measures also advanced environmental protection for the wider region?  

Francisca Ziniel: The Ministry of Fisheries has implemented monitoring of fishing activities, with Officers deployed on vessels to prevent illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. Additionally, the Ghana Navy and Ghana Maritime Authority patrol the waters to ensure compliance with environmental policies by ships operating in our coastal waters.

Ghana’s participation in the project called Fish-I Africa and other initiatives to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing has strengthened maritime surveillance and protected marine biodiversity.

When vessels come to the Port, we also check for compliance with environmental laws. These dual-purpose operations show how maritime security and environmental protection can reinforce one another.