The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG) is demanding immediate sanctions and refunds from shipping lines it says are blatantly ignoring the Ghana Shippers’ Authority’s directive to cap the Container Administrative Charge at GH¢720 per Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit (TEU).
In a press statement signed by Executive Secretary Samson Asaki Awingobit, IEAG described the continued imposition of higher fees as “economic sabotage” and a direct challenge to both the GSA and the courts.
The Association referenced a High Court ruling on 10th July 2026 which dismissed an application by the Ship Owners and Agents Association of Ghana (SOAAG) seeking to restrain the GSA’s Regulatory Directive issued on 11th May 2026. The court affirmed that the directive took effect immediately and remains enforceable.
Despite this, IEAG says evidence including invoices show some major lines are still charging far above the approved rate.
“Pacific International Lines (PIL) charged an importer GH¢4,000.00 as a Container Release Order fee on a single 40-foot container, while MSC Ghana Limited charged GH¢3,870.46 as an Administrative Import Fee for a single 40HC container,” the statement noted.
IEAG said these figures are more than five times the approved GH¢720 per TEU and violate the Ghana Shippers’ Authority Act, 2024 (Act 1122).
“Years of impunity”
According to the Association, shipping lines have “acted with impunity” for years, driving up the cost of doing business at Ghana’s ports. The burden, it added, is ultimately passed on to importers, exporters, and consumers.
IEAG is now calling on the Ghana Shippers’ Authority to invoke Section 47 of Act 1122, which allows the Authority to apply to the High Court to enforce its decisions.
Specifically, IEAG wants the GSA to:
1. Institute enforcement proceedings against all lines charging above the GH¢720 cap
2. Apply to the High Court for enforcement against non-compliant operators
3. Impose all applicable sanctions under the law
4. Order immediate refunds of all excess amounts collected since the directive took effect
5. Publish the names of all non-compliant shipping lines
“The Authority cannot afford to remain silent while regulated entities openly defy its directives,” IEAG warned. “Failure to act decisively will send a dangerous signal that regulatory directives in Ghana can be ignored without consequence.”
The Association cautioned that if urgent action is not taken, it will “explore all lawful avenues available,” including possible industrial actions and suspension of activities at the ports.
“No company or institution, irrespective of its size or international standing, is above the laws of the Republic of Ghana,” the statement concluded. “The time for dialogue has passed.
The time for enforcement is now.”
IEAG says it remains committed to working with stakeholders to ensure a fair and competitive shipping environment that supports the government’s agenda of reducing the cost of doing business in Ghana.
Story by : Akora Kofi Darko
