Importers and freight forwarders at the Tema Port are demanding waivers from shipping lines for rent, storage, and demurrages caused by delays in clearing cargo. These delays are attributed to disruptions in internet services nationwide.

Ghana has been experiencing such disruptions for several days, attributed by the National Communications Authority (NCA) to outages on multiple submarine fibre optic cables connecting the country.

In 2018, the government introduced a paperless system aimed at curbing financial leakages at the ports, implemented by the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority.

According to freight forwarders and importers, the disruption of internet services, which is crucial for the paperless regime at the ports, has significantly impacted cargo clearance at Ghana's largest seaport, resulting in substantial demurrages.

Co-chairperson of the Technical Committee of the Tema District of the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF), Paulina Abrokwah, highlighted the financial toll on businesses at the port. She said many shipping lines have resorted to manual processes, leading to considerable delays.

"Most of the shipping lines have resorted to manual means of releasing our consignments," she remarked.

Additionally, she noted difficulties in duty payments due to banking issues, further impeding the clearance process.

Discussing the financial implications, Madam Abrokwah emphasised the ripple effect of every delay, leading to demurrages, rent, and storage costs at the port. She expressed hope for an intervention from the Ghana Shippers Authority to compel shipping lines to waive extra costs resulting from delays.

"We are hoping that some shipping lines would be considerate and waive the costs related to any delays that will occur," she added.

Executive Secretary of the Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana, Samson Asaki Awingobit, urged the Economic Management Team of the Government to devise a contingency plan to mitigate losses in the sector. He emphasised the need for manual alternatives to expedite clearance processes until full system restoration.

"The impact is going to be huge, so I will rather call for a plan 'B'," he stated.

"People have already suffered; they could not clear their cargoes up to today. The Economic Management Team must immediately meet to come up with a plan B that the port would work with pending the full restoration of internet services.”

Meanwhile, the Ghana Shippers' Authority responded, assuring that shippers will not incur extra costs due to delayed clearance. Head of Shipper Services Department at the Ghana Shippers' Authority, Monica Josiah, emphasised that any additional charges from shipping lines must be reported for redress.

As industry players await interventions from regulators, Ghana Link Network Services Limited, operators of the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS), affirmed their commitment to fully restore operational capacity promptly.