Shipping lines commit to port efficiency initiative

Shipping lines in Ghana have expressed their readiness to help realise the government’s objective of 100 per cent paperless transactions at the ports by September, this year.

They have already installed cutting-edge technology to fast-track their operations in order to bring efficiency at the country’s sea ports.

The Executive Secretary of the Shipowners and Agents Association of Ghana (SOAAG), Ms Perpetua Osei-Bonsu, told the GRAPHIC BUSINESS in an interview on July 7 in Tema that the shipping lines would leverage on their experience in other jurisdictions to help support the port efficiency initiative of the government.

“It would be appreciated that since the port efficiency initiative correlates with the cardinal objective of the association, our members have wholeheartedly welcomed it and are prepared to offer their maximum support to ensure that the level of efficiency within the port attains globally standards of excellence,” she said.  

Govt’s three-phase policy

The government has rolled out a three-phase policy reform to make Ghana’s ports competitive on the African continent.

As part of the process, the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has been directed to make all transactions at the ports paperless by September.

Customs Division of GRA had also been directed to removal customs barriers on the transit corridor –from Tema to Paga, Aflao, Hamle, Elubu and so on.

This initiative is expected to change situations at the country’s ports significantly and improve trade facilitation as well as ease the cost of doing business in the country.

Shipper’s readiness

For this reason, the SOAAG as the apex body of the shipping lines has commenced discussions with key stakeholders such as the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) and Customs Division of the GRA to achieve that target.

Ms Osei-Bonsu observed that the shipping lines were ready to meet the government’s deadline to achieve 100 per cent paperless transactions at the ports.

“For us we do not have any challenge to go total paperless at the ports because we have modern equipment to support the port efficiency initiative of the government and we, therefore, called on other stakeholders to prepare towards that deadline,” she said.

Contribution to Ghanaian economy

The Vice-President of the association, Mr Adam Imoru Ayarna, stated that the contribution of the shipping lines to the development of the Ghanaian economy was enormous with the creation of jobs high among the list of benefits derived from the industry.

According to him, the SOAAG, which is made up of about 13 active shipping lines, paid a total of GH¢183.3 million as taxes, fees and charges to the state in 2016.

“To demonstrate its commitment to the development of the Ghanaian economy, we wish to seize this opportunity to briefly share with you some highlights of our contribution to the state,” he said.

Mr Ayarna observed that the shipping industry played a vital role in world trade and was the backbone of the world economy.

“Without ships and the transportation services these ships provide, the world would not be as prosperous as it is today and many countries such as Ghana would not be able to participate in world trade,” he said and added that since the worldwide economic downturn set in late 2008, the interdependence of global economies has become even more evident.

International trade by any mode of transport has been affected immediately and dramatically. It is one of the reasons why about 90 per cent of world trade is carried by the international shipping industry.  — GB