The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG) has called on the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) to urgently expand container handling capacity at the Tema Port to address persistent congestion and growing traffic within the port enclave and surrounding areas.
In a press statement on August 27 2026, the IEAG urged the GPHA to consider converting some spaces currently leased to private businesses into additional container terminal facilities, particularly where existing lease agreements are nearing expiration.
The Association said the congestion is creating significant challenges for the movement of cargo and vehicles and could undermine the efficiency and competitiveness of Ghana’s port operations.
According to the IEAG, developing ultra-modern container terminal facilities in such spaces would improve cargo handling efficiency, ease congestion and facilitate the movement of goods and vehicles within the port.
The Association also raised concerns over what it described as the apparent disregard by some shipping lines and their agents for the Ghana Shippers’ Authority’s (GSA) directive on the regulated Container Administrative Charge (CAC), also known as the local handling charge.
The IEAG said the current regulatory ceiling places the charge at GH¢720 per Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit (TEU) for both import and export containers.
It said the directive remains valid and operational, with the GSA having directed shipping lines and their agents to comply with the approved ceiling.
The Association expressed concern over reports that some shipping lines continue to impose charges above the approved limit.
It warned that such practices could increase the cost of doing business at Ghana’s ports, create uncertainty for importers and exporters, and undermine efforts to make the country’s ports more competitive.
To resolve the matter, the IEAG appealed to the Minister for Transport to convene an urgent stakeholder meeting involving the GSA, shipping lines, shipping agents, freight forwarders, importers, exporters and other relevant port stakeholders.
The Association said an open and constructive dialogue under the leadership of the Transport Ministry would help resolve the impasse and prevent the issue from escalating into a major disruption to port operations and international trade.
The IEAG said addressing both the congestion and disputed port charges is essential to improving the efficiency, predictability and competitiveness of Ghana’s maritime trade sector.
By Coffie Mawuedem Noel
