The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana has endorsed a directive by the Ghana Shippers’ Authority to cap Container Administrative Charges (CAC) at the country’s ports, describing the move as a major relief for businesses.
In a statement issued on April 21, 2026, the Association said the intervention was “timely and long overdue,” noting that it would finally address longstanding concerns over excessive port-related costs imposed by international shipping lines.
Under the directive, CAC will be capped at GH¢550 per Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit (TEU), with implementation set for May 1, 2026.
The IEAG argues that the charges have historically duplicated costs already embedded in freight rates, including port dues and terminal handling fees.
“Ghanaian businesses have, for years, been burdened by excessive, opaque and unjustified charges,” the Association said, adding that such practices have inflated the cost of doing business and weakened Ghana’s competitiveness as a regional trade hub.
The financial implications have been significant. According to the IEAG, traders paid an estimated GH¢1.69 billion in CAC fees in 2024 alone, highlighting the scale of the burden on importers and exporters.
The Association also pointed to disparities within the sub-region, noting that countries such as Togo, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria charge far lower fees, typically between $30 and $68 per container, compared to Ghana’s previous rates of up to $165 per TEU.
Calls for Compliance
Providing historical context, the IEAG explained that the CAC was introduced in the 1980s as a temporary measure to support port operations.
However, with significant investments in port modernisation and automation, it argued that the justification for the charge has diminished.
The group also warned against any resistance from shipping lines, cautioning that efforts to undermine the directive would not succeed. It described such actions as attempts to sustain foreign exchange outflows with minimal benefit to the domestic economy.
The IEAG characterised the directive as a “balanced intervention” that protects consumers while allowing for operational considerations within the shipping sector.
With the implementation date approaching, the Association is calling for full compliance across the value chain, signalling what it says is the end of unchecked administrative charges in Ghana’s port industry.
READ ALSO: Ghana Pushes Research-Driven Healthcare at ISPE Africa Conference
