After concerns were raised by importers over unexpected charges on shipping invoices, the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA) says importers who were charged a disputed $1,000 “Emergency Conflict Surcharge” by global shipping line CMA CGM will receive refunds after investigations revealed the charges were triggered by an automated billing anomaly.
The surcharge had appeared on invoices for some shipments, prompting questions from importers who argued the goods were shipped before tensions in the Middle East escalated.
Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority, Professor Ransford Gyampo, said preliminary investigations indicate the charges were not deliberately imposed on Ghanaian importers but resulted from an automated global billing system used by shipping lines.
“Our investigations show that there was a global announcement to all CMA-CGM shipping agencies to invoke the War Clause Surcharge in their list of charges,” Gyampo explained.
According to him, the shipping line operates a centralized billing structure where invoices are generated across its global network. The automated system, he said, mistakenly inserted the surcharge into invoices issued for some shipments.
“The shipping lines use a shared center where invoices are generated globally. The shared center automated the system to generate the currently disputed cost line,” he noted.
The GSA CEO said the issue has since been identified and corrective measures are underway to reverse the charges.
“This anomaly is at the moment being corrected and all who have been surcharged would receive a refund from the shipping line,” Gyampo assured.
The development comes amid broader concerns about rising global shipping costs linked to geopolitical tensions and disruptions to key maritime trade routes. Such surcharges, often introduced by shipping lines to offset increased operational and insurance costs during periods of instability, can significantly affect import-dependent economies.
For Ghana, where a large share of consumer and industrial goods are imported, unexpected freight charges can increase the landed cost of goods and ultimately push prices higher in the domestic market.
The intervention by the Ghana Shippers’ Authority is therefore expected to bring relief to affected importers, while also reinforcing the regulator’s role in ensuring transparency and fairness in shipping charges applied to Ghana’s international trade.
