Ghana Shippers Authority Initiates Probe into Questionable Middle East-Linked Shipping Surcharges
The Ghana Shippers Authority has commenced preliminary checks into claims that some importers are being billed new shipping surcharges linked to tensions in the Middle East, despite the cargo having been shipped weeks before the escalation of the conflict.
Chief Executive Officer of the Authority, Ransford Gyampo, in a Facebook post, indicated that shipping lines cannot legitimately impose a surcharge on goods that were shipped approximately 30 days prior to the outbreak of the conflict.
According to him, any such claim must first be substantiated with the relevant bill of lading to allow for proper verification.
Prof. Gyampo noted that although some global shipping lines have issued notices about possible surcharges due to emerging geopolitical tensions, the document currently circulating locally appears “strange and off,” raising concerns about the possibility of billing errors.
He added that the Ghana Shippers Authority will investigate the matter once the appropriate shipping documents are presented and will subsequently issue guidance to importers and shippers to ensure that applicable shipping rules and charges are properly applied.
