The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG) has thrown its full support behind a new directive by the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA) to slash and cap Container Administrative Charges (CAC) at the country’s ports.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, the Association described the intervention as “timely and long overdue,” arguing that it will bring relief to businesses after years of what it called excessive and unjustified charges imposed by international shipping lines.

Under the new directive, CAC has been capped at GHS550 per Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit (TEU), with implementation set to begin on May 1, 2026.

The IEAG said the move addresses a long-standing concern within the trading community—that shipping lines have effectively been charging businesses twice for the same service.

It explained that costs such as port dues and terminal handling are already embedded in freight rates, making the additional administrative fee redundant.

“Ghanaian businesses have, for years, been burdened by excessive, opaque and unjustified charges imposed by international shipping lines and their local agents,” the statement said, warning that such practices have increased the cost of doing business and weakened Ghana’s competitiveness as a regional trade hub.

The Association revealed that in 2024 alone, traders paid an estimated GHS1.69 billion—approximately $108 million—in Container Administrative Charges.

It also highlighted disparities within the sub-region, noting that while countries such as Togo, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, and Nigeria charge between $30 and $68 per container, fees in Ghana have reached as high as $165 per TEU.

Providing historical context, the IEAG explained that the CAC was initially introduced in the 1980s as a temporary measure to support underdeveloped port infrastructure.

However, with significant investments in modernising and automating the Tema and Takoradi ports, it argued that the justification for the charge no longer exists.

The Association further cautioned against any attempts by shipping lines to resist the directive, dismissing reports of potential pushback or industrial action as efforts to protect revenue streams that largely benefit foreign interests.

Describing the new cap as a “balanced intervention,” the IEAG said it allows for operational flexibility while protecting consumers from rising import costs.

As the implementation date approaches, the Association is calling for full compliance from all industry players, signalling what it describes as the end of unchecked charges within Ghana’s maritime sector.