The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG) has thrown its full support behind a directive by the Ghana Shippers’ Authority to cap Container Administrative Charges (CAC) at the country’s ports, describing the move as “timely and long overdue.”
In a statement issued Tuesday, the Association said Ghanaian businesses have, for years, been burdened by “excessive, opaque and unjustified” charges imposed by international shipping lines and their local agents. These charges, it noted, have significantly increased the cost of doing business and weakened Ghana’s competitiveness as a regional trade hub.
The IEAG also dismissed threats reportedly issued by some shipping line workers in response to the directive, insisting that such actions will not derail regulatory efforts aimed at protecting national interest.
According to the Association, revenues from freight, demurrage, and detention charges are already retained by shipping lines and often repatriated abroad, contributing to foreign exchange outflows with minimal direct benefit to Ghana’s economy.
The group argued that legitimate port-related costs, such as port dues, terminal handling charges, and operational expenses, are already embedded in freight rates paid by importers and exporters.
It therefore described the additional Container Administrative Charges as a duplication of cost recovery, effectively forcing Ghanaian shippers to “pay twice for the same service.”
The IEAG further pointed to stark differences between Ghana and its neighbours, noting that while countries such as Nigeria, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, and Togo charge between $30 and $68 per container, fees in Ghana have reached as high as $165 per Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit (TEU).
This disparity, the Association said, places Ghanaian traders at a significant disadvantage and justifies the need for regulatory intervention.
The Association explained that the CAC was originally introduced in the 1980s when Ghana’s ports lacked modern infrastructure. However, with significant upgrades at Tema and Takoradi ports, including advanced cranes and automated systems, it said the rationale for the charge no longer holds.
IEAG estimates indicate that Ghanaian traders paid about GH₵1.69 billion (approximately $108 million) in Container Administrative Charges in 2024 alone, a cost it says has contributed to rising import prices and inflationary pressures.
The Association has therefore endorsed the decision by the Ghana Shippers’ Authority to cap the charge at GHS 550 per TEU, effective May 1, 2026.
It described the cap as a “balanced intervention” that protects shippers while maintaining operational flexibility within the logistics chain.
IEAG is urging all stakeholders to comply fully with the directive, stressing that the era of unchecked and opaque charges in Ghana’s shipping sector must come to an end.
“Attempts to resist or undermine this reform through threats or pressure tactics will not succeed,” the statement concluded.
