A policy think tank, SARL Africa: Centre for Logistics and Trade Facilitation, has called on the government to abolish shipping line administrative charges entirely, describing them as economically unjustifiable, outdated, and a hidden burden on trade competitiveness.
In a detailed policy advisory dated April 30, 2026, SARL Africa addressed the Ministry of Transport, arguing that the controversial Container Administrative Charge, also known as the documentation fee, has outlived its purpose and now functions as an unfair cost on importers and exporters.
The group said its review was triggered by the recent decision of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA) to cap the charge at GH¢550 per twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU), effective May 1, 2026. While acknowledging the cap as a “necessary interim relief,” SARL Africa insisted it does not resolve the core issue.
According to SARL Africa, the charge, introduced in the late 1980s to offset manual port documentation and handling costs, no longer has a valid justification due to modern upgrades at Ghana’s ports, including the advanced facilities at Tema and Takoradi.
“The infrastructure deficiency that gave rise to the administrative charge no longer exists,” the report stated, pointing to digitisation and improved port efficiency as evidence that the fee has become obsolete.
The group further described the levy as a structural anomaly within Ghana’s shipping cost framework, arguing that it is imposed per container rather than per bill of lading and often lacks transparency or clear cost justification.
A central concern raised in the report is the scale of revenue generated by the charge, estimated at GH¢1.69 billion annually. SARL Africa argues that this represents a significant and unjustified wealth transfer from Ghanaian traders to foreign shipping lines.
“Direct cost to shippers at gh¢1.69 billion annually, the charge constitutes a direct wealth transfer from Ghanaian businesses to foreign-owned shipping lines. The majority of this revenue is repatriated to parent companies abroad, contributing to foreign exchange outflows with no commensurate benefit to the Ghanaian economy.”
“The Container Administrative Charge has no defensible economic, legal or operational justification,” the report concluded, adding that it is inconsistent with global trade practices and international maritime norms.
To strengthen its argument, the think tank compared Ghana’s system with international benchmarks in jurisdictions such as the European Union, the United States, Singapore, China, and the United Arab Emirates, where documentation fees, if applied at all, are modest, cost-based, and tied to bills of lading rather than container volumes.
The report also referenced global trade rules under the World Trade Organization, particularly the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement and Article VIII of GATT 1994, which require that trade-related fees be limited to the actual cost of services rendered.
Beyond legal and policy concerns, SARL Africa warned of broader economic consequences, saying the charge contributes to higher import costs, inflationary pressure, reduced competitiveness of Ghanaian ports, and deterrence to foreign investment.
Ghana, it argued, risks losing transit trade to neighbouring countries such as Togo, Benin, and Côte d’Ivoire if port pricing remains uncompetitive.
While welcoming the GSA’s recent intervention, the group maintained that capping the fee is not enough.
“The directive is a welcome corrective measure, but it does not confront the underlying question of whether the charge should exist at all,” the report said.
Instead, SARL Africa is calling for a phased abolition of the fee, a full audit of shipping line charges, and the adoption of a freight-inclusive cost model aligned with international best practice.
It also urged Ghana to position itself as a regional leader in transparent maritime pricing as part of broader efforts to support the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“The Container Administrative Charge is an anachronism. Its continued existence undermines trade, burdens consumers, and weakens Ghana’s competitiveness,” the report concluded
The policy advisory has been copied to the Presidency, Parliament, business associations, freight forwarders, and key trade groups across the country.
