Danish Geodata Agency advances maritime cooperation in Ghana with Lake Volta training initiative
In May 2025, the Danish Geodata Agency strengthened maritime collaboration between Denmark and Ghana during a week-long visit focused on training, technology and local capacity building. The initiative marked a significant step in advancing digital navigation and operational safety on Lake Volta – the world’s largest artificial reservoir by surface area.
In partnership with the Danish Maritime Authority, the agency contributed to a final workshop organized in collaboration with the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) and the Volta Lake Transport Company (VLTC). The programme focused on equipping local authorities with the knowledge and tools needed to operate and maintain a digital navigation platform tailored to Lake Volta’s unique conditions.
The week featured hands-on training in satellite-based mapping and crowdsourced data collection. While the GMA received technical instruction, VLTC contributed valuable insights from its day-to-day operations on the lake.
Advancing safety through innovative survey methods
This work is part of the broader Maritime Strategic Sector Cooperation between Denmark and Ghana – Phase 3 (2022–2025), which aims to enhance navigational safety through innovative geospatial methods. In selected pilot areas, satellite technologies and geospatial analysis are being used to identify potential hazards such as submerged trees and shallow zones. At the same time, methods for collecting crowdsourced data from vessels already active on the lake are being tested and refined.
Originally developed and trialled in Danish waters, the crowdsourced data collection approach is now being applied in Ghana over a longer period. This provides both essential data for hazard mapping and insights into the capabilities and limitations of using vessel-based data for inland navigation.
Through the combination of satellite-based hazard identification with locally sourced data, the initiative offers end users critical information for safer navigation. It also supports long-term capacity building and deepens the Danish Geodata Agency’s understanding of digital hydrography in inland water bodies.
The project reflects the growing partnership between Denmark and Ghana in the maritime domain, built on shared goals of safety, sustainability and knowledge exchange.
