Ghana will implement the electronic cargo tracking note (e-CTN) by first quarter of 2012 to enhance the country’s competitiveness as a maritime trade hub in West Africa, says the Ghana Shippers Authority (GSA). The successful implementation of e-CTN will enable the GSA to have real-time access to detailed pre-arrival information on all shipments, and thus improve on its information dissemination services to shippers. The e-CTN is an official maritime document that contains information relating to cargo and its movements between ports. It is usually issued at the port of loading and the e-CTN number inserted in the Bill of Lading (B/L) and cargo manifest. “The e-CTN is vital because it will lead to the avoidance of undue delays and thereby eliminate added cost to shippers and the other way round,” Dr. Kofi Mbiah, Chief Executive Officer of GSA told the Business and Financial Times in an interview. “This will also help us in the transmission of maritime security data from ships to shore to curb and address various security concerns in the industry.” According to Dr. Mbiah, information from the e-CTN will serve as backup data for customers and Destination Inspection Companies (DICs) in the country. “It will also allow for the determination of the times of arrival and final destination of cargo which goes to help in reducing the cost of international trade by improving the clearance time and avoiding surcharges such as demurrage and rent.” Research carried out by the GSA estimate the yearly payment of demurrage charges by shippers at US$40million to the shipping lines and another US$20million in rent charges as a result of delays in clearance of their cargoes. “We’ve started educating our stakeholders through our Shippers Committees to bring the activities of GSA closer to the doorsteps of importers and exporters,” Dr. Mbiah said. The e-CTN system has largely been embraced by maritime stakeholders in Africa and has been implemented in a number of countries. The Union of Africa Shippers’ Councils (UASC) has pushed for the adoption and implementation of the electronic cargo tracking system to bring about harmony in cargo processing and clearance procedures across the region. Consequently, a number of African countries - through collaboration with the private sector with expertise in tracking devices - have implemented the e-CTN. Countries like Benin, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Angola, Senegal and Guinea have all implemented the e-CTN in different modes which seek to safeguard the seaports and safety and monitoring of cargo. In West Africa, Nigeria, Cameroun, Senegal and Benin are some of the countries in the sub-region to have implemented the e-CTN system, which has had some positive impact in their maritime sectors.