Container deposit fee jumps from GH¢200 to GH¢2,000 - Freight Forwarders lament

Freight forwarders at the Port of Tema have reported a significant increase in the container deposit fee charged by Cosco Shipping Lines.

They now pay GH¢2,000 instead of GH¢200 for the container deposit.

The allied freight forwarders also expressed displeasure over the withholding of container deposits by shipping lines.

A container deposit is a sum of money paid by the importer to the shipping line when they receive a container for transporting goods. This payment acts as a security measure, ensuring the container is returned in good condition and within the stipulated time frame.

One of the forwarders, Romeo Frimpong, in an interview with GhanaWeb's Ernestina Serwaa Asante, said the cleaning fee charged by the shipping lines should be cargo-specific.

Another concern raised by the freight forwarders is the charging of demurrages on weekends and holidays.

"Ghana has received 1.5 million containers. So multiplying Cosco's container deposit fee of GH¢2,000 alone with 1.5 million containers is a lot of money going to the shipping line," Romeo Frimpong bemoaned.

"It is only in Ghana that shipping lines don't work on weekends and holidays yet they charge. If you don't show up, you don't collect or you don't charge because we are ready to work... In other jurisdictions, these shipping lines on their tariffs have manifested non-working days for weekends and holidays. So why is it that in Ghana, you don't treat us fairly?" he stated.

The forwarders further accused Cosco Shipping Line of not taking advantage of technology to improve their service.

According to them, importers and clearing agents have to visit their office for invoices and releases when the services can be digitised.

"Cosco Shipping Line is not taking advantage of technology. With the L.I 2190, it talks about standards of service which expect a shipping line to be at a certain level where we can launch our delivery order request online. Cosco Shipping Line, you have to walk from Community One, walk from everywhere you are as a clearing agent to their office for invoices and releases. We expect that they should move on by now because the amount of money we pay to them doesn't commensurate with the service we expect them to render," he stated.

Speaking on the rapid depreciation of the local currency against major trading currencies, the forwarders bemoaned that it has become a big blow to the trading community.

SA/MA