When Nigerian companyRusselSmithsat down with Ghana’s maritime authority recently, the pitch was straightforward: replace the country’s aging wooden boat fleet with 3D printed vessels.
Held in Accra, the meeting brought the asset management and advanced manufacturing company’s officials face to face with Dr. Kamal-Deen Ali, Director-General of theGhana Maritime Authority(GMA). Facilitated by theCommonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council(CWEIC), whose Ghana Head of Mission Dr. John Appea accompanied the delegation, the talks were led on RusselSmith’s side by Co-founder Kayode Adeleke.
At the center of the proposal is a 3D printing facility on Ghanaian soil capable of producing vessels up to 12 m in length. The case against the status quo is practical: traditional wooden boat construction drives deforestation, and the boats themselves are expensive to keep running. 3D printed vessels are faster to produce and cheaper to maintain.
“The GMA is increasingly focused on placing Ghana among the world’s leading ‘Blue Nations’ by prioritising maritime safety and environmental sustainability, and these efforts are being aligned with global environmental standards to reduce the sector’s overall carbon footprint,” Dr. Ali said.
From Imported Parts to Local Production
But the pitch goes further than just building boats. The same technology would be used to print spare parts locally for vessel and machinery repairs.
The materials side of the proposal extends further still: refining locally sourced iron ore into the high-grade powders that serve as feedstock for industrial 3D printing. This approach would support a circular economy and allow for fully digitised inventory management.
RusselSmith is currently commissioning a “Phase Two” industrial 3D factory in Lagos and planning a flagship “Mega Omni” facility elsewhere in Nigeria later this year, with Ghana being considered as its next market.
For now, nothing is signed. The GMA will open internal board-level discussions and designate a focal person to work through the technical feasibility before any formal commitment is made.
The authority is also separately in early talks with partners from Norway and Denmark on green fuel adoption. Longer term, inland water connectivity to Ghana’s northern sector using eco-friendly vessels remains a priority the GMA intends to pursue.
Source: 3D Printing Industry
