Government ties shipping talks to GH¢720 container charge

The government says shipping companies and their agents must begin charging the approved GH¢720 Container Administrative Charge before it will resume negotiations with them.

Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe said the decision follows a High Court ruling that dismissed an application by affected companies seeking to stop implementation of the charge.

According to him, representatives of the companies subsequently approached the government to restart out-of-court discussions but were told that compliance with the approved charge was a condition for further engagement.

The GH¢720 charge is the regulatory ceiling for the Container Administrative Charge, also referred to as the local handling charge, on import and export containers measured in Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs).

The issue arose after the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA) reviewed port charges as part of efforts to address the high cost of doing business at Ghana’s ports.

The initial charge was set at $165 per container, but the GSA recommended a $115 reduction, bringing it to $50, which was equivalent to about GH¢550 at the time.

Freight forwarders and importers subsequently petitioned the government against the proposed implementation, citing concerns over inadequate education, sensitisation and stakeholder engagement.

The government held about seven meetings with stakeholders to address the concerns.

Some stakeholders later raised concerns that the $50 charge could lead to job losses among Ghanaian workers.

As a result, the government and the GSA agreed on an interim charge of $65, equivalent to about GHC720, for one month while consultations continued.

The affected shipping companies and agents later went to court seeking an injunction against implementation of the charge.

On 10 July 2026, the High Court dismissed the application, clearing the way for the GSA to enforce its 11 May 2026 Regulatory Directive capping the Container Administrative Charge at GH¢720 per TEU.

The ruling has since intensified calls from industry players for action against shipping lines and agents accused of charging above the approved ceiling.

They argue that charges above the regulatory limit increase the cost of doing business at the ports and create uncertainty for importers and exporters.

The government has maintained that it remains open to discussions with the affected companies but expects them to first comply with the approved GH¢720 ceiling.