EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) is the global standard for energy-efficient buildings, a certification system overseen by the International Finance Corp. (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank Group. Advanced EDGE certification requires a building to deliver a minimum reduction of 40% energy use, water use and embodied carbon in materials when benchmarked against standard local buildings.

ALP Ghana, a 160,000 SQM warehouse park, is located in the Tema Free Zone, adjacent to Tema port and the Ghana country capital Accra. The park provides international standard warehouse space to multinationals and local businesses. All five warehouses within the Ghana ALP have been certified as EDGE Advanced.

ALP’s EDGE Advanced warehouses in Accra provide average energy savings of 68%; water savings of 38% and utilize construction materials containing 63% less embodied carbon in materials, when compared with others in the market.

Charles Gassoub, Vice President – Agility Africa, said: “Achieving the EDGE Certificate demonstrates our commitment to developing energy- and resource-efficient facilities in line with global sustainability standards. This brings direct benefits to our customers, including reduced utility costs, improved operational efficiency, and alignment with their own ESG and sustainability objectives.”

Nathalie Kouassi Akon, IFC’s Ghana Division Director, also remarked on the achievement, stating “The EDGE Advanced certification of Agility Logistics Park in Tema demonstrates the strong momentum for green buildings in Ghana and the critical role the private sector plays in driving this transition. By significantly reducing energy and resource use, projects like this not only lower operating costs for businesses but also contribute to Ghana’s smart development goals and long-term economic resilience. IFC is proud to support partners like Agility in setting new standards for sustainable, high-quality industrial infrastructure in the region.

Agility Logistics Parks are secure, connected, 24/7 complexes with international-standard, high-quality warehouses, designed with advanced engineering and sustainability features.  In addition to the 160,000 SQM park in Ghana, Agility Logistics Parks has a 470,000 SQM park in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire; a 320,000 SQM facility in Maputo, Mozambique; a 270,000 SQM park in Lagos, Nigeria (under development); as well as the 270,000 SQM Yanmu East logistics park in Cairo, Egypt, part of a joint venture with Hassan Allam Utilities.

Agility Africa CEO Geoffrey White said: “Having each of our warehouse parks in Africa certified as EDGE Advanced is an integral part of our strategy to develop a network of secure and efficient warehouse parks across the Continent. The growing portfolio of Agility warehouse parks delivers an essential part of the fundamental infrastructure required for growth by both global and local businesses.

Providing international standard ready-built warehouses for companies to lease for storage, distribution, e-commerce, packaging, processing and light manufacturing makes it easier for businesses to expand or enter new markets, reducing their capital requirements and time it takes to market. Agility warehouse parks make African markets more bankable, attractive and competitive.”

When global trade flows normally, Port Community Systems (PCS) are often viewed as efficiency tools. They digitize paperwork, connect stakeholders, reduce delays, and improve visibility across port ecosystems. However, the true impact and strategic importance of PCS become most apparent when a crisis hits.

Whether caused by geopolitical conflict, canal restrictions, rerouted shipping lanes, cyber risk, labor disruption, or sudden regulatory shifts, modern supply chain shocks remind us that ports without strong digital coordination struggle to adapt, whereas ports with robust PCS infrastructure are better positioned to keep cargo moving. In today’s environment, PCS has become a critical infrastructure.

Disruption is not an exception anymore

Global maritime trade has entered a more volatile era where disruption is structural. Let’s review the recent events to understand the scale of impact:

• Around 2,000 ships were reportedly stranded during the recent Strait of Hormuz (https://apo-opa.co/4dii0lb) crisis.
• The Red Sea crisis (https://apo-opa.co/4dz5gFA) led to more than 190 attacks on vessels by late 2024, forcing widespread rerouting and increasing transit times by up to two weeks.
• The Suez-linked corridor (https://apo-opa.co/4dz5gFA), which carries roughly 10–12% of global maritime trade, experienced sharp volume declines during the disruption.
• Supply chains across the Middle East, Africa, and Europe faced cascading effects, including congestion, cost increases, and schedule instability.

At the same time, the global port industry itself is undergoing rapid transformation. According to the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH), ports are accelerating digitalization and strengthening resilience capabilities in response to geopolitical and operational uncertainty. This is the new reality: routes shift, volumes spike, and conditions change faster than traditional systems can handle.

Why PCS matters most during a crisis

When vessel schedules collapse, or cargo volumes suddenly spike, physical infrastructure alone is not enough. Cranes, berths, gates and yards also need coordination. That is where PCS becomes the backbone of resilience.

A PCS is not just a digital tool; rather, it’s a shared operational layer. It connects shipping lines, terminals, customs, freight forwarders, transport operators, and authorities through a single data environment, enabling synchronized decision-making across the ecosystem.

Instead of exchanges through emails, phone calls, Excel files, or siloed systems that generate delays and errors, the PCS enables seamless and real-time coordination.

1. Real-time visibility across the ecosystem

When vessels are delayed or rerouted, fragmented communication becomes a liability.

PCS enables real-time visibility across:

• vessel arrivals and berth planning
• cargo status and documentation
• customs readiness and inspections
• gate operations and inland logistics

Instead of fragmented updates, stakeholders operate from a shared, trusted data environment.

In a crisis, the speed of information becomes the speed of recovery.

2. Faster decision-making under pressure

Sudden disruptions create immediate operational stress:

• surges in transshipment volumes
• yard congestion risks
• inspection bottlenecks
• inland transport delays

Without digital coordination, responses are reactive and slow.

With PCS, ports can dynamically allocate resources, adjust workflows, and reprioritize cargo flows using real-time data and coordinated processes.

3. Customs and border continuity

Cargo cannot move if border agencies cannot move.

According to joint guidance from the World Customs Organization (WCO) and International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH), interoperability between Customs systems and PCS is essential for coordinated border management, risk control, and secure data exchange (https://apo-opa.co/3PLcs9P).

In crisis conditions, this becomes critical. Governments must introduce new controls, risk filters, or emergency procedures quickly, without disrupting trade flows. PCS enables this  balance.

4. Trust and transparency for the market

Importers, exporters, and carriers can tolerate disruption more than uncertainty. What they need is visibility.

PCS provides transparency across the supply chain, allowing stakeholders to track cargo status, anticipate delays, and plan accordingly. This transparency builds trust and reduces the systemic risk of panic-driven inefficiencies.

Operational resilience is the key

As we all know, the classic PCS discussions focus on key KPIs such as:

• reduced turnaround time
• fewer documents
• lower administrative cost
• faster truck processing

But today, the most important KPI is “readiness”: If a major trade corridor shifts tomorrow, can your port ecosystem adapt in real time?

To answer “Yes” to this question, a future-ready PCS should include:

• real-time event management
• integrated stakeholder communication
• predictive congestion alerts
• interoperability with customs and regulatory systems
• scalable architecture for demand spikes

“For years, ‘efficiency’ was key when it comes to PCS. However, today, the key is ‘resilience’… When shipping lanes shift overnight, policies change, and when uncertainty increases, the strongest ports are the ones that are the most ‘connected’… Therefore, we should treat PCS as a crisis backbone of trade, not an IT efficiency initiative.
[Alioune Ciss, CEO, Webb Fontaine]

The Next Evolution: Intelligent PCS

PCS is now entering a new phase. Next-generation systems are evolving into data-driven platforms that support predictive analytics, AI-enabled decision-making, and proactive risk management (https://apo-opa.co/4eQ93Rg).

In other words, today, ports need systems that help orchestrate responses. Solutions such as Webb Ports (https://apo-opa.co/42F3gqq) from Webb Fontaine reflect this shift. By connecting all port stakeholders through a unified platform, anticipating congestion before it happens, simulating operational scenarios, and optimizing resource allocation dynamically, we enable faster coordination, better visibility and more agile responses when disruptions occur.

Rand Refinery’s participation reflects a broader strategic alignment between the company’s expansion agenda and AMW’s focus on supporting and enabling local beneficiation and promoting artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) responsible sourcing frameworks.

In terms of volumes, the latest market information indicates that Africa produces 1000tpa of mined gold (more than any other continent), with large-scale mining (LSM) and ASM being almost evenly balanced (500tpa production each). On its current trajectory, African ASM volumes are expected to eclipse those of LSM.

The focus on ASM as a transformational imperative is valid, and Rand Refinery is an active participant in the precious metals supply chain, working alongside other upstream and downstream actors to ensure that the communities and countries with gold resources benefit in a sustainable manner.

Under the theme Mining the Future: Unearthing Africa’s Full Mineral Value Chain, AMW 2026 offers a critical interface between refiners, miners, regulators, and financial institutions, as African countries intensify efforts to capture more value from responsible mineral production.

A key pillar of Rand Refinery’s 2026 strategy is its expansion into high-growth gold markets beyond South Africa. In January 2026, the company partnered with Ghana’s Gold Coast Refinery (GCR) to support the Ghana Gold Board to locally refine artisanal and small-scale (ASM) gold and elevate responsible sourcing standards in West Africa. The partnership also positions Rand Refinery in a rapidly growing and historically fragmented supply segment: ASM operations, enabling the company to enhance traceability and strengthen compliance with global standards for ethical sourcing and anti-money laundering.

The partnership potentially allows the monetization of ASM supply streams in the formal gold ecosystem, complementing Rand Refinery’s established role in refining output from responsible large-scale producers. AMW 2026 represents a timely platform for the company to provide an update on its projects and contribution to Africa’s gold sector.

As demand for regional refining capacity expands, along with central bank buying programs, companies such as Rand Refinery will be crucial.

Central bank gold purchases are projected to average around 585 tons per quarter in 2026, underscoring sustained global demand. In Africa, gold now accounts for approximately 17% of total reserves – up from less than 10% in 2022–2023 – while physical holdings increased from 663 tons in 2022 to an estimated 738 tons in 2025.

This upward trajectory is driving demand for trusted refining and value addition services, positioning Rand Refinery as a key partner in the region. Against this backdrop, AMW provides a strategic platform for central banks and gold buyers to engage directly with one of the world’s largest integrated single-site precious metals refining and smelting complexes and strengthen regional beneficiation and national reserve strategies.

At AMW, Rand Refinery executives will participate in panel discussions and networking sessions, engaging stakeholders on partnership opportunities that support a more integrated, transparent and value-driven African gold ecosystem.