Shipping lines cannot impose levy without notification – Shippers’ Authority

Takoradi Harbour
The Ghana Shippers' Authority has insisted that shipping lines cannot impose levies without first notifying the Authority.

This follows reports that some cargo shipments to Ghana have been charged $250 per 20-foot container and $350 per 40-foot container. For instance, Hapag Lloyds is reported to have stated that the company was going to charge a levy on shipment of goods in the sub region to cover Ebola screening effective September 21 this year in countries such as Ghana, Togo, Senegal , Cote d'Ivoire, Benin and Nigeria.

But Chief Executive of the Ghana Shippers' Authority, Kofi Mbiah says his outfit has not been notified of any such development.

He indicates that investigations are underway to ensure the veracity or otherwise of this claim and says that although the shipping line has the right to impose levies, the authority must be notified first.

'Before they impose any such charge, they need to notify us. We have to speak with them. We have to understand the rationale behind that charge', he told Joy Business' Chantelle Asante.

'There's been nothing specific to Ghana. In which case, the Shippers Authority would have been notified and then, we can take the matter up with the shipping line.'

Mandatory health checks on ships for the Ebola virus disease are expected to cause lengthy delays. The shipping lines explained that the levy is to help cater for charges the shipping line would incur.