The Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening its collaboration with the trading community to catalyse Ghana’s quest to become the most preferred multimodal shipping hub in the West African sub-region.
This was evident at its High Value Shippers’ (Platinum) Engagement Forum held in Accra on Thursday, 4th June 2026.
The forum brought together some of Ghana’s leading importers, exporters, manufacturers, and industry stakeholders to discuss emerging issues within the shipping and logistics value chain; and to explore practical solutions to enhance trade competitiveness and operational efficiency.
Participants included representatives from the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), the Ghana Armed Forces, Nestlé Ghana, Cargill, Olam, CIMAF Cement, Ghacem Cement, Guinness Ghana Limited, B5 Plus, Blue Skies, and Duraplast.
Delivering the Welcome Address on behalf of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Professor Ransford Gyampo, the Head of Shipper Servies & Trade Facilitation (SSTF) Mrs. Monica Josiah, emphasised GSA’s commitment to fostering stronger collaboration with key industry players to build a robust and viable sector to anchor the government’s 24-Hour Economy.
She noted that the forum reflected the collective determination of stakeholders to not only strengthen collaboration within the shipping and logistics value chain, but to also, create opportunities for constructive dialogue on issues that affect international trade.
“Today’s gathering reflects our collective commitment to strengthen partnerships within the shipping and logistics value chain while creating a practical platform for dialogue on the critical challenges confronting shippers in Ghana and beyond,” she stated.
Mrs. Josiah acknowledged the significant role played by high-value shippers in Ghana’s socio-economic development, noting that their contributions to trade, industrial growth, employment creation, and government revenue generation continue to position them as indispensable partners in national development.
“As importers, exporters, manufacturers and investors, your activities sustain supply chains and connect Ghana to the global marketplace.” she said.
She further observed that the global shipping and logistics industry continues to face unprecedented disruptions and uncertainties.
Rising freight rates, port congestion, container shortages, unpredictable transit schedules, exchange rate volatility, geopolitical tensions, trade restrictions, and increasing compliance requirements continue to exert considerable operational and financial pressure on businesses worldwide.
Ghanaian shippers consequently continue to encounter a number of challenges, including high shipping and port-related charges (container administrative charges and ancillary fees), delay in cargo clearance processes, demurrage and storage costs, cargo handling difficulties, insurance and claims settlement concerns, and the need for greater transparency and efficiency across the logistics chain.
“These concerns are genuine and require collaborative solution from all stakeholders within the trade facilitation ecosystem. Sustainable solutions can only be achieved through cooperation, dialogue, and mutual understanding among regulators, service providers and the trading community,” she noted.
Mrs. Josiah reiterated that GSA, as the statutory regulator of the commercial activities of shippers and shipping service providers under Act 1122 (2024) remains committed to protecting and promoting the interests of shippers while facilitating an efficient, competitive, and responsive shipping environment that continually improves the ease and cost of doing business.
“The shipping industry is evolving rapidly, driven by digitalization, sustainability requirements, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and changing global supply chain dynamics. Ghanaian shippers must therefore be positioned to remain competitive within both regional and international markets,” she emphasized.
She encouraged participants who had not yet registered with GSA to do so promptly, hinting that the current registration fees would soon be reviewed upward.
The high point of the forum was a presentation on ongoing efforts to streamline the Container Administrative Charge which has become topical in recent times. Mr. Kwesi Saforo, a Senior Officer of the Research, Monitoring & Evaluation (RME) department of GSA who made the presentation explained that under Section 3(1)(o) of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority Act, Act 1122 (2024), GSA is mandated to approve any charge imposed by a shipping service provider.
Section 36 of the Act further prohibits shipping service providers from administering charges that have not been approved by GSA.
He informed the forum that, upon extensive research into the Container Administrative Charge across other countries in West African subregion where the shipping Lines also ply their trade, it was found that, the charge in Ghana is significantly higher.
Whilst the charge is pegged at USD 165 per TEU in Ghana, it was pegged at USD 30 per TEU in Nigeria and at USD 65 per TEU in Togo by the same shipping Lines.
GSA, in the exercise of its statutory mandate, whose ultimate aim is to facilitate an amiable environment for international trade and thereby make Ghana the West African hub for international trade, intervened to forestall the practice that has contributed significantly to the overall cost of doing business.
Participants were informed that, on that score, the Container Administrative Charge was reviewed and pegged at GHC 550.00 per TEU to align with the actual service that is rendered in Ghana.
The Forum also learnt that, upon a petition by the shipping Lines, the Honourable Minister for Transport, Hon. Joseph Bukari Nikpe intervened and directed that the charge be pegged at GHC 720.00 per TEU whilst further consultation amongst stakeholders is undertaken to aid the conclusive resolution of the impasse.
Representatives of the Ghana Standards Authority also briefed participants on proposed revisions to procedures that govern the Certification and Verification of measuring and weighing devices used in commercial activities.
According to the Authority, the reforms are intended to improve accuracy, compliance, transparency, and standardization within the industry.
Stakeholders were assured that implementation would be preceded by extensive consultation to ensure that any industry concerns are adequately addressed.
The interactive session provided participants with the opportunity to share issues affecting their operations for redress. Several stakeholders expressed dissatisfaction with the persistent burden of high demurrage charges, indicating that the charges contribute to the cost of doing business and invariably reduces the competitiveness of Ghana’s ports.
Participants also raised concern about the deployment of the Publican Artificial Intelligence (AI) System by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) at the ports. They alleged that the AI-driven import declaration vetting system had in certain instances resulted in unreasonable charges.
They called for continuous stakeholder engagement and periodic reviews to ensure that the system supports objectives for its introduction without imposing undue financial burden on businesses.
In his closing remarks, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer in charge of Operations (DCEO-Operations) at GSA, Mr. Prince Henry Ankrah, expressed appreciation to participants for their active engagement and valuable contributions to the discussions.
He assured stakeholders that GSA would act promptly on concerns raised, and would ensure to revert to the respective stakeholders with the requisite remediation responses and / or interventions.
“The Ghana Shippers’ Authority will continue to work with all stakeholders to address industry concerns and facilitate a trade environment that is efficient, competitive, and responsive to the needs of businesses,” Mr. Ankrah stated.
The Platinum Shippers’ Forum forms part of GSA’s stakeholder engagement strategy aimed at promoting awareness, strengthening compliance, and fostering collaboration within Ghana’s shipping and logistics ecosystem.
Through such engagements, GSA continues to create opportunities for industry players to share experiences, discuss challenges, and contribute to the development of policies that support sustainable trade and economic growth.
As Ghana navigates an increasingly dynamic global trading environment, GSA is poised to work more closely with importers, exporters, shipping service providers, regulators, and other stakeholders to build a more competitive, transparent, and resilient shipping and logistics industry.
