The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG) has thrown its full support behind a directive by the Ghana Shippers' Authority (GSA) to cap Container Administrative Charges (CAC) at the country’s ports, describing the move as long overdue.
In a statement issued on April 21, 2026, the Association said the directive is a critical step toward reducing the cost of doing business and restoring fairness in Ghana’s shipping and logistics sector.
This intervention is not only timely but long overdue,” the Association stated.
For years, importers and exporters have complained about what they describe as excessive and opaque charges imposed by international shipping lines and their local agents—costs that have significantly increased trade expenses and weakened Ghana’s competitiveness.
Charges ‘Unjustified and Outdated’
The IEAG argued that many of these administrative fees are effectively duplicate charges, noting that key port-related costs are already embedded in freight rates paid by cargo owners.
The imposition of separate Container Administrative Charges constitutes a duplication of cost recovery, effectively making Ghanaian importers pay twice for the same service,” the statement said.
According to the Association, the historical justification for the charge—dating back to the 1980s when ports lacked modern infrastructure—no longer applies.
Today, major ports such as Tema Port and Takoradi Port are equipped with advanced container handling systems, eliminating the operational conditions that once necessitated the fee.
Its continued application is technically indefensible and economically exploitative,” the IEAG stressed.
Economic Burden on Businesses
The Association revealed that Ghanaian traders paid an estimated GH₵1.69 billion (about $108 million) in such charges in 2024 alone, describing it as a major contributor to high import costs and inflationary pressures.
At a time when Ghana is pursuing trade competitiveness and regional hub status, such charges are counterproductive,” it noted.
Support for GSA Cap
The IEAG has endorsed the GSA’s decision to cap the charge at GH₵550 per Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit (TEU), effective May 1, 2026, calling it a balanced approach that protects businesses while maintaining operational flexibility.
This cap represents a reasonable and proportionate ceiling and a step toward eliminating unjustified cost build-ups within the logistics chain,” the Association said.
The group also dismissed concerns that the directive could negatively impact employment in the shipping sector, arguing that staff welfare is the responsibility of international shipping companies, not local traders.
Ghanaian businesses should not bear unjustified charges to subsidise employment conditions that are the responsibility of multinational shipping corporations,” it added.
Warning Against Resistance
The IEAG further cautioned against attempts to resist the directive through threats or pressure tactics, insisting that reforms aimed at improving transparency and fairness must be upheld.
“The era of unchecked and opaque charges in Ghana’s shipping sector must come to an end,” the statement concluded.
The development is expected to ease cost pressures on importers and exporters while reinforcing regulatory efforts to streamline Ghana’s trade and logistics environment.
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