Exporters, importers reject GSA’s Smart Port Note rollout

The Coalition of Concerned Exporters, Importers and Traders has strongly opposed the Ghana Shippers’ Authority’s (GSA) planned implementation of the Smart Port Note (SPN), warning that the policy will introduce unnecessary costs and additional bureaucratic burdens for businesses operating in Ghana.

The GSA has announced that the Smart Port Note will become mandatory from February 1, 2026, explaining that the initiative is intended to promote trade facilitation, enhance compliance, improve cargo monitoring and generate reliable logistics data.

However, the coalition argues that the Authority has failed to demonstrate how the system uniquely delivers these objectives. According to the group, the policy appears to be primarily revenue-driven, benefiting the service provider, Inter-Ocean Maritime and Logistics Institute (IOMLI), rather than protecting the interests of shippers.

“The policy seems designed solely to generate revenue for the service provider, which runs contrary to the GSA’s core mandate of shielding shippers from unnecessary costs,” the coalition said in a statement.

The group further contended that the Smart Port Note, which operates as an advance shipment notification platform, falls outside the GSA’s regulatory mandate and conflicts with the Ghana Revenue Authority’s (GRA) existing destination inspection regime. It added that the GSA has not demonstrated any formal alignment or approval from the GRA to introduce the system.

The coalition also questioned the effectiveness of the SPN, noting that Antaser Afrique, the system’s operator, lacks the legal authority to compel suppliers at ports of origin to submit accurate trade data, thereby undermining its verification and enforcement capacity.

Rejecting claims that the SPN imposes no additional costs, the group argued that any fees charged to exporters will inevitably be passed on to Ghanaian importers and consumers, creating a new financial burden on local businesses.

It further warned that the SPN risks duplicating government’s own plans to deploy Artificial Intelligence tools within customs operations to address revenue leakages, potentially resulting in an uncoordinated and inefficient parallel system.

“The Smart Port Note offers no real-time tracking, risk analysis or meaningful verification capability. It is merely an administrative process that introduces an unnecessary bureaucratic hurdle, undermining the very goal of trade facilitation,” the statement added.

The coalition has therefore called for an immediate and comprehensive review of the initiative, urging the GSA to uphold its expanded mandate under the Ghana Shippers’ Authority Act, 2024 (Act 1122), which requires the Authority to protect traders from exploitative practices.

The group also expressed its willingness to work with the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Finance, the Ghana Revenue Authority, the Ghana Shippers’ Authority and other relevant stakeholders to develop policies that genuinely lower the cost of doing business and enhance trade facilitation in Ghana.

Read the full statement below:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Coalition of Concerned Exporters, Importers and Traders Rejects Proposed Smart Port Note, Calls for Policy Reassessment

Questioning the Policy Justification

While the GSA cites goals of trade facilitation, compliance, cargo monitoring, and the availability of reliable shipping and logistics data, no position paper has been provided to demonstrate how the SPN uniquely achieves these outcomes. The policy appears to be designed solely to generate revenue for the service provider, Inter-Ocean Maritime and Logistics Institute (IOMLI), contradicting GSA’s core mandate to protect shippers from unnecessary costs. Previous stakeholder objections to similar schemes have been ignored.

Lack of Mandate and Practical Deficiencies

The SPN, an advance shipment notification platform, is a tool for pre-shipment inspection and compliance. This is a function outside the GSA’s jurisdiction and in conflict with the Ghana Revenue Authority’s (GRA) destination-inspection regime. Critically, the GSA has not shown alignment or approval from the GRA to introduce this system. Furthermore, while Antaser Afrique can compel importers or their agents to submit trade data, it holds no legal authority to compel suppliers at ports of origin to submit such data, rendering its verification capability ineffective. This fundamental flaw, among others, explains why CTN/SPN has failed to deliver proven benefits elsewhere in the region.

Duplication with National AI Strategy and Added Costs

The SPN directly risks duplicating the government’s own announced plans to deploy Artificial Intelligence through customs to combat revenue leakage. This creates an uncoordinated, parallel system that undermines national digital modernisation efforts.

Critically, the claim that the SPN imposes “no additional cost” on Ghanaian traders is misleading, as all fees charged to exporters are ultimately passed to Ghanaian consignees, for whom it will be a direct, new financial burden.

Ineffectiveness as a Cargo Monitoring Tool

Ghana’s existing Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS) already provides full cargo data and inventory history. The current framework combines carrier tracking, risk profiling, scanning and audits. The SPN adds no real-time tracking, risk analysis, or verification capability. It is merely an administrative transaction that introduces an unnecessary bureaucratic hurdle, defeating the objective of trade facilitation.

Conclusion: An Urgent Call for Full Reassessment

The Coalition of Concerned Exporters, Importers and Traders calls for an immediate and full reassessment of the Smart Port Note initiative. The policy lacks justification, duplicates existing systems, increases costs, and was developed without exhaustive stakeholder consultation.

The GSA is reminded that its strengthened mandate under the Ghana Shippers’ Authority Act, 2024 (Act 1122) is to sanitise the shipping industry and protect Ghanaian traders from exploitative practices by shipping service providers, especially the shipping lines—not to introduce them.

The Coalition remains ready to collaborate with the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Finance, the Ghana Revenue Authority, the Ghana Shippers’ Authority and all relevant bodies to develop policies that genuinely reduce the cost of doing business and facilitate trade.

About the Coalition of Concerned Exporters, Importers and Traders:

The Coalition is composed of exporters, importers and traders who have come together to advocate for policies that enhance fair trade, reduce operational burdens, and promote economic growth.

For more information, contact

Michael Obiri-Adjei

Convener

0201721340