Port Efficiency and Public Private Capacity (PEPP)

Project summary

PEPP aims to map and improve approaches to CD for the maritime sector in Ghana in order to enhance the potential of the maritime sector to drive Ghana’s economic growth in a sustainable manner. PEPP focuses on implicit and explicit alliances between public and private entities in shaping capacity development (CD) programs as a result of a constantly changing port service economy at the unique site of Tema Port in Ghana. Public and private stakeholders and researchers often treat CD as an unconditional good. Based on contextual quantitative and qualitative research methods, PEPP will critically investigate the aims, effects, and politics of CD with specific focus on continuities and ruptures in conditions for CD when moving from aid-to-trade. Inspired by disagreements in the literature on the link between efficiency and corruption, PEPP will investigate how intended and unintended shared (mis)understandings of values influence a possible mechanism for standardization of regulations and procedures through partnerships of the Maersk Group, the IMO, and Ghanaian and Danish public servants.

PEPP is highly relevant to the Ghanaian maritime sector policies, the Danish strategic sector cooperation with Ghana, Danish companies, and the Danish aid-to-trade strategy for Ghana, which all refer to effective measures to ensure sustainable development through public private partnerships in advancing capabilities in the maritime sector in Ghana. PEPP will contribute to creating new jobs and making temporary jobs permanent in all parts of the Port labor market including HRM, processing of single entry to the port, pilots, inspectors, customs officers, and tugboat masters (SDG 14). PEPP findings will also have implications for quality education at the Anglophone West African Regional Maritime University and other institutions (SDG 4).