A coalition of exporters and importers estimates that Ghana’s planned mandatory cargo tracking system could impose an annual cost on households of between 187.2 million and 382.8 million euros, prompting protests against the February implementation.
A coalition of concerned exporters, importers and traders on Wednesday released estimates challenging the propriety of the Ghana Shippers Authority (GSA) to implement the Smart Port Note (SPN) system commencing February 1. The group argues that the digital certification requirement duplicates existing customs infrastructure while transferring substantial funds to private service providers.
The cost estimate is derived from implementing Ghana’s proposed tariff structures for container traffic of 1.7 million Twenty Foot Equivalent Units (TEU) by 2024. The coalition notes calculations only cover full container load (FCL) traffic, which suggests the total economic impact could be significantly higher than their conservative estimates. The analysis attributed the estimated costs of transactions between merchants and the Inter Ocean Maritime and Logistics Institute, as well as its Belgium-based technology partner Entaser Afrique, which has exclusive rights to validate digital certificates.
GSA announced on 23 December that SPN will become mandatory for all cargo shipments entering, leaving or transiting Ghana from next month. Authority officials describe the measure as aligning Ghana with modern global trade standards through an advanced shipment information system that captures critical data before ships reach ports.
Under the new framework, each shipment requires verification with a unique code clearly listed on the bill of lading. Cargo lacking valid certification faces clearance denials, potentially exposing shippers to significant fines and penalties. The system serves as a digital certificate issued for each bill of lading or airwaybill, sometimes referred to in industry documentation as an electronic cargo tracking note.
Coalition representatives expressed particular concern that despite raising a number of issues since the announcement, the Authority has made no meaningful efforts to provide policy clarity. This situation appears particularly problematic, as even groups supposedly supporting the initiative continue to present conflicting accounts regarding structure, scope, operational framework, and intended outcomes.
The coalition points out that since the authority’s public notice, the Association of Customs House Agents of Ghana (ACHAG) and other organizations cited as consulting parties have written to dissociate themselves from the policy. Additionally, the Ship Owners and Agents Association of Ghana (SOAG), which represents ocean carriers who are expected to play the lead implementation role, has indicated that it was not consulted despite its operational importance.
Michael Obiri Adjei, who serves as coalition coordinator, signed the January 15 statement calling for comprehensive policy documentation. The group requests a position paper that clearly outlines the rationale, practical implementation models, associated fee structures, and an assessment of how the system integrates with Ghana’s existing business architecture for in-depth stakeholder scrutiny.
The authority maintains the SPN functions as an export-oriented data requirement, meaning that importers and consignees in Ghana do not have to pay any direct charges. Instead, a service charge is applied to exporters at the ports of origin. However, coalition members argue that these origin point charges will essentially be passed on to Ghanaian consumers through standard commercial practice, representing a new financial burden rather than a trade convenience.
Critics identify Ghana’s Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS) which already provides cargo tracking, data capture, inventory history and risk profiling capabilities. The ICUMS platform, which was introduced in June 2020 and developed by Korea Customs Service through local partner Ghana Link Services, processes documents and payments through a single window, allowing users to create unique consignment references for cargo identification and tracking.
Proponents argue that SPN provides early visibility, which ICUMS does not emphasize, allowing risk management before cargo movement begins. Supporters describe it as a groundbreaking trade infrastructure that aligns Ghana with international standards employed in the European Union and the United States. They suggest that this system serves complementary rather than duplicative functions within the broader business ecosystem.
The coalition warned that the policy could conflict with government digitization initiatives, including plans to deploy artificial intelligence tools within customs operations to prevent revenue leakage. They characterize simultaneous parallel systems as creating disorganized infrastructure that undermines national digital modernization efforts.
The Ghana Shippers Authority Act 2024, designated as Act 1122, transformed the authority from an advocacy body to a regulatory entity. The law empowers authorities to approve or reject charges proposed by shipping service providers, including shipping lines, freight forwarders, terminal operators and clearing agents, before implementation. Coalition members used this stronger mandate to argue that the authority should protect traders from exploitative practices rather than implement cost-raising policies.
The positions of industry stakeholders remain divided. The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG) on Saturday publicly distanced itself from the coalition’s statements and cost estimates. IEAG participated in two high-level stakeholder meetings convened by the authority leadership with Inter Ocean Maritime and Logistics Institute management, where officials assured that the system would not impose any costs on importers.
IEAG Executive Secretary Samson Asaki Awingobit raised concerns during those engagements regarding potential cost, potential system duplication and operational clarity. Authority leadership reportedly reaffirmed that the direct financial burden will fall on Ghanaian exporting countries rather than importers, although the coalition disputes whether this distinction matters given commercial realities.
The authority urges all shipping lines, freight forwarders and logistics operators to ensure full compliance before the February deadline to avoid port disruptions. Exporters can obtain and validate certificates through a dedicated portal created by Entesar Africa for system access.
The coalition says the policy appears arbitrary, duplicative and counterproductive in the absence of a clear problem statement, cost benefit analysis or demonstration of value beyond existing trade facilitation mechanisms. Rather than facilitating trade, members have warned the SPN risks introducing additional bureaucratic layers, increasing transaction costs and undermining Ghana’s commitments under regional and international frameworks.
Similar cargo tracking note systems operate in various African markets with mixed reception from business communities. According to the Coalition analysis, implementation experiences elsewhere in the region show that verification capabilities face fundamental challenges when private service providers do not have the legal authority to compel suppliers to submit data at origin ports.
The controversy highlights the broader tension between digitalization objectives and the practical implementation challenges facing Ghana’s maritime sector. The solution needs to balance legitimate government interests in cargo monitoring, trade data collection and compliance enforcement against industry concerns about cost, redundancy and regulatory burden.
The coalition calls for immediate suspension until appropriate policy leadership addresses the identified shortcomings and the Authority publicly clarifies the need, structure, legal basis and economic justification supported by verifiable data and inclusive stakeholder consultation. The authority has not publicly responded to the coalition’s latest statement as the implementation date approaches.
