Court clears way for Shippers’ Authority to enforce GH¢720 container charge cap
The Accra High Court dismissed an application for interlocutory injunction filed by the Ship Owners and Agents Association of Ghana and some shipping agents.
Shipping lines and agents are expected to comply with the Ghana Shippers’ Authority’s new container administrative charge cap after the High Court refused to stop its enforcement.
The Accra High Court dismissed an application for interlocutory injunction filed by the Ship Owners and Agents Association of Ghana and some shipping agents.
The applicants had asked the court to restrain the implementation of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority Administrative Charge Regulatory Directive issued on May 11, 2026.
The directive caps the Container Administrative Charge at GH¢720 per Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit.
In its ruling, the court held that the directive had already taken effect when it was issued.
It therefore declined to grant the injunction sought by the applicants.
The court also observed that stopping the directive would interfere with the statutory regulatory mandate of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority.
The ruling means the directive remains valid, operational and enforceable.
Following the decision, the Authority directed all shipping lines and their agents to comply fully and immediately with the GH¢720 cap.
In a statement issued in Accra on Monday, the GSA warned that non-compliance would attract regulatory and enforcement action.
It said any shipping line or agent that fails to obey the directive would be dealt with under Sections 36 and 47 of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority Act, 2024, Act 1122, and any other applicable laws.
The Authority also urged importers, exporters, freight forwarders and the general shipping public to report any breach of the directive.
It said complaints should be submitted through its established reporting channels to enable the Authority to take the necessary regulatory action.
The GSA said the enforcement of the directive forms part of efforts to promote transparency and fairness in shipping service charges.
It added that the measure supports the government’s broader objective of reducing the cost of doing business in Ghana.
The Authority reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the interests of both shippers and shipping lines while maintaining dialogue with stakeholders in the commercial shipping industry.
