Sahara Group boosts Ghana’s clean energy supply with 40,000 CBM LPG vessel

Sahara Group has commissioned the MT Asharami Ghana, a 40,000 cubic metre Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) carrier, bolstering its fleet capacity and deepening its investment in Ghana’s clean energy supply chain ahead of the country’s ambitious household LPG adoption targets.

The vessel was commissioned in Ulsan, South Korea, in a ceremony attended by Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, who described it as “a significant milestone in strengthening the infrastructure that underpins the global LPG supply chain.”

President Mahama praised Sahara Group, WAGL Energy and their partners for their “leadership, technical expertise and strategic foresight,” framing the project as a demonstration of what partnership-driven energy investment can achieve across Africa.

The dual-fuel vessel is designed to improve operational efficiency and support lower-emission LPG logistics as consumption rises across Ghana and the wider sub-region.

According to Sahara Group Executive Director Wale Ajibade, the ship is not a standalone acquisition but part of a broader infrastructure play. The vessel secures an additional 25,000 metric tonnes of stock security for the Ghanaian economy, and is being paired with a land-based LPG storage terminal under development in Tema — with a 6,000 metric tonne first phase due for completion in May 2026, scaling to 12,000 metric tonnes.

With MT Asharami Ghana now delivered, Sahara Group’s LPG carrier fleet stands at six vessels with a combined capacity of 202,000 cubic metres. The conglomerate, backed by partnerships with WAGL Energy, NNPC Limited and other stakeholders, has a further 270,000 cubic metres of carrier capacity under construction, scheduled for delivery by September 2028.

Executive Director Temitope Shonubi said the vessel forms part of Sahara’s integrated strategy spanning shipping, storage, and downstream distribution globally, and thanked Yaa Serwaa Alifo, Managing Director of Asharami Ghana, for her determination to dedicate a vessel of this scale solely to the Ghanaian market and its landlocked neighbours.

The investment carries significant implications for Ghana’s energy transition ambitions. The country is targeting LPG adoption by 50 percent of households by 2030, up from roughly 30 percent today. Sahara says its infrastructure push will support clean energy access for more than 35 million people, while positioning Ghana as a regional distribution hub for landlocked West African markets.

The commissioning falls within Sahara Group’s 30th anniversary year, which the conglomerate is marking under the banner of its Sahara Beyond XXX milestone — a strategic checkpoint focused on long-term enterprise building, responsible growth, and shared prosperity across its operating markets.