A Coalition of Concerned Exporters, Importers and Traders has rejected the Ghana Shippers Authority’s decision to introduce a mandatory Smart Port Note effective February 1, 2026, describing the policy as costly, unnecessary and counterproductive to Ghana’s trade facilitation efforts.
In a statement, the Coalition said it had carefully reviewed the GSA notice on the Smart Port Note and concluded that the policy would impose additional financial and bureaucratic burdens on traders already grappling with high costs of doing business at the ports.
According to the Coalition, the justification provided by the GSA does not adequately explain how the Smart Port Note would uniquely advance trade facilitation, regulatory compliance, cargo monitoring or the generation of reliable shipping and logistics data. The group noted that no detailed position paper or technical assessment has been made available to stakeholders to demonstrate the necessity of the new system.
The Coalition further argued that the proposed policy appears to be primarily revenue driven, benefiting the designated service provider, Inter Ocean Maritime and Logistics Institute, rather than addressing real inefficiencies within the port system. It stressed that this approach contradicts the core mandate of the Ghana Shippers Authority, which is to protect shippers from avoidable charges and practices that increase the cost of trade.
Traders within the Coalition also expressed concern that similar initiatives in the past were introduced despite strong stakeholder resistance, only to worsen delays and costs without delivering measurable improvements in port operations. They warned that repeating such policies would undermine confidence in regulatory institutions and weaken Ghana’s competitiveness as a regional trade hub.
Access full statement below:
COALITION OF CONCERNED EXPORTERS, IMPORTERS AND TR_251229_164405
About The Author
