Ghana's Smart Port System: Coalition Projects Millions in Costs

A coalition of exporters and importers estimates Ghana’s planned mandatory cargo tracking system could impose annual costs between 187.2 million and 382.8 million euros on households, intensifying opposition to the February rollout. The Coalition of Concerned Exporters, Importers and Traders released projections Wednesday challenging the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA) justification for implementing the Smart Port Note (SPN) system beginning February 1. The group argues the digital certification requirement duplicates existing customs infrastructure while transferring substantial wealth to private service providers. The cost estimates derive from applying proposed fee structures to Ghana’s 2024 container traffic of 1.7 million Twenty Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs). The coalition notes calculations cover only Full Container Load (FCL) traffic, suggesting total economic impact could substantially exceed their conservative projections. The analysis attributes anticipated costs to transactions between traders and Inter Ocean Maritime and Logistics Institute alongside its Belgium based technical partner Antaser Afrique, which hold exclusive rights to validate the digital certificates. The GSA announced December 23 that the SPN would become compulsory for all cargo shipments entering, leaving or transiting through Ghana starting next month. Authority officials describe the measure as aligning Ghana with modern global trade standards through an advanced shipment information system capturing critical data before vessels arrive at ports. Under the new framework, every shipment requires validation with a unique code clearly listed on the Bill of Lading. Cargo lacking valid certification faces clearance denial, with shippers potentially incurring significant fines and penalties. The system functions as a digital certificate issued for every Bill of Lading or Airwaybill, sometimes referenced as an Electronic Cargo Tracking Note in industry documentation. Coalition representatives express particular concern that despite raising multiple issues since the announcement, the authority has made no meaningful effort providing policy clarity. This situation appears especially problematic given that even groups purportedly supporting the initiative continue presenting conflicting accounts regarding structure, scope, operational framework and intended outcomes. The coalition indicates that since the authority’s public notice, the Association of Customs House Agents of Ghana (ACHAG) and other organizations cited as consulted parties have written to dissociate themselves from the policy. Additionally, the Ship Owners and Agents Association of Ghana (SOAAG), representing sea carriers expected to play key implementation roles, has indicated it was not consulted despite its operational significance. Michael Obiri Adjei, serving as coalition convener, signed the January 15 statement calling for comprehensive policy documentation. The group requests a position paper clearly articulating rationale, practical implementation models, associated fee structures, and assessment of how the system integrates with Ghana’s existing trade architecture for thorough stakeholder scrutiny. The authority maintains the SPN functions as an export oriented data requirement, meaning importers and consignees in Ghana face no direct charges. Instead, service fees apply to exporters at origin ports. However, coalition members argue these origin point fees will inevitably transfer to Ghanaian consumers through standard commercial practice, representing new financial burdens rather than trade facilitation. Critics identify Ghana’s Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS) as already providing cargo tracking, data capture, inventory history and risk profiling capabilities. The ICUMS platform, 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 counter that the SPN provides early visibility that ICUMS does not emphasize, allowing risk management before cargo movement begins. Supporters characterize it as baseline trade infrastructure aligning Ghana with international standards employed in the European Union and United States. They suggest the system serves complementary rather than duplicative functions within the broader trade ecosystem. The coalition warns the policy could conflict with government digitalization initiatives, including plans deploying artificial intelligence tools within customs operations to curb revenue leakages. They characterize simultaneous parallel systems as creating uncoordinated infrastructure undermining national digital modernization efforts. The Ghana Shippers’ Authority Act of 2024, designated as Act 1122, transformed the authority from an advocacy body into a regulatory entity. The legislation empowers officials to approve or reject charges proposed by shipping service providers, including shipping lines, freight forwarders, terminal operators and clearing agents, before implementation. Coalition members invoke this strengthened mandate in arguing the authority should protect traders from exploitative practices rather than implementing policies increasing costs. Industry stakeholder positions remain divided. The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG) publicly distanced itself Saturday from coalition statements and cost projections. The IEAG participated in two high level stakeholder meetings convened by authority leadership alongside Inter Ocean Maritime and Logistics Institute management, where officials provided assurances the system would impose no costs on importers. IEAG Executive Secretary Samson Asaki Awingobit raised concerns during those engagements regarding potential costs, possible system duplication and operational clarity. Authority leadership reportedly reaffirmed that direct financial burdens would fall on exporting countries rather than Ghanaian importers, though 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 acquire and validate certificates through the dedicated portal maintained by Antaser Afrique for system access. The coalition maintains that absent clear problem statements, cost benefit analyses, or demonstrations of value beyond existing trade facilitation mechanisms, the policy appears arbitrary, duplicative and counterproductive. Rather than facilitating trade, members warn the SPN risks introducing additional bureaucracy layers, increasing transaction costs and undermining Ghana’s commitments under regional and international frameworks. Similar cargo tracking note systems operate across various African markets with mixed reception from trading communities. Implementation experiences elsewhere in the region show verification capabilities face fundamental challenges when private service providers lack legal authority compelling suppliers at origin ports to submit data, according to coalition analysis. The dispute highlights broader tensions between digitalization objectives and practical implementation challenges facing Ghana’s maritime sector. Resolution requires balancing legitimate government interests in cargo monitoring, trade data collection and compliance enforcement against industry concerns about costs, redundancy and regulatory burden. The coalition calls for immediate suspension until proper policy leadership addresses identified deficiencies and the authority publicly articulates necessity, structure, legal basis and economic justification backed by verifiable data and inclusive stakeholder consultation. The authority has not publicly responded to the latest coalition statement as implementation date approaches.