Acting CJ seeks collaboration to establish specialised maritime courts
The Acting Chief Justice, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, has called for strong collaboration between the Ghana Shippers' Authority (GSA) and Judicial Service for the establishment of specialised courts or dedicated divisions within the judiciary to handle cases related to maritime, logistics and international trade.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie, now Chief Justice nominee, explained that the reform would strengthen Ghana’s legal and institutional capacity to effectively support the country’s growing maritime and transport sectors under the new Ghana Shippers Authority Act, 2024 (Act 1122).
Speaking at the opening of the 15th Maritime Law Seminar for Judges of the Superior Courts of Ghana in Accra last Friday, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie said the increasing complexity of global trade and logistics required judges to possess deeper expertise in commercial, maritime and international trade law.
“Specialised courts or divisions dedicated to international trade and logistics will ensure expertise and efficiency in adjudication.
“The judiciary must be equipped to handle the increasing volume of trade-related disputes with clarity, fairness and consistency," he said.
The two-day seminar, jointly organised by the Ghana Shippers’ Authority and the Judicial Training Institute (JTI), is aimed at enhancing judicial understanding of maritime regulations and dispute resolution.
The opening was chaired by a Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Emmanuel Yonny Kolendi; and other speakers, including Director of the Judicial Training Institute, Justice I.O. Tanko Amadu; Judicial Secretary, Musah Ahmed; Chief State Attorney, Grace Opong-Dolphy; and Chief Executive Officer of GSA, Prof Ransford Gyampo.
Key regulator
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie explained that Act 1122 had significantly expanded the mandate of the GSA, positioning it not only as a protector of shipper interests but also as a key regulator and facilitator of efficiency across the entire transport value chain — by sea, air, rail and road.
Participants in the seminar
He said that the judiciary would play a critical role in ensuring the effective interpretation and enforcement of the new law.
He observed that establishing such courts would enhance investor confidence and support Ghana’s aspiration to become a leading maritime and logistics hub in West Africa.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie also commended the Ghana Shippers' Authority and the Judicial Training Institute for their continued collaboration in strengthening judicial capacity.
He said such partnerships were vital to promoting fairness, due process and international best practices in Ghana’s trade regime.
Step in right direction
Prof. Gyampo stated that the call to establish a specialised court to handle maritime cases was a step in the right direction, as it reflected a proactive approach to addressing the complexities of the sector.
He explained that the creation of such a court would advance efforts to safeguard the interests of shippers and ensure that maritime disputes were resolved more efficiently.
Prof. Gyampo added that a specialised court would serve as a deterrent to individuals who often violated maritime laws and exploited the slow pace of the judicial system to delay justice.
Complex legal scenarios
The Chief State Attorney who read the speech on behalf of the sector minister, Dr Dominic Ayine, stated that in today’s world, the sea was not just a route for goods, it was a theatre for complex legal scenarios, including regulatory oversight.
She said as Ghana’s engagement with international trade intensified, the need for a robust, modern and responsive legal regime to govern the international trade ecosystem, especially the maritime space, had never been more critical.
She said it was against this backdrop that the Ghana Shippers’ Authority Act 2024 (Act 1122) was enacted.
“This is no ordinary statute, but one that represents a significant recalibration of our regulatory approach to the shipping and logistics sector,” she said.
