Logistics services in Ghana.

Ghana logistics overview: modes, trade and gateways

Logistics services in Ghana rely on sea, air, rail and road. Containers and breakbulk cargo move through the seaports of Takoradi, Tema, Sekondi and Saltpond, with cargo pier depths up to about 19 m. Ghana has a coastline of about 539 km and 4 ports, plus 3 oil terminals for petroleum-related traffic.

Air freight uses 5 airports with scheduled services, including Kotoka International Airport in Accra and Prempeh I International Airport in Kumasi. The rail network of about 947 km connects to seaports such as Takoradi and Tema where rail access is available. Road transport links the ports with inland cities and with land borders to Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire and Togo.

Freight forwarders in Ghana need to be comfortable working through the main seaports at Takoradi and Tema and through Kotoka International Airport. Ghana handles about 1.7 million TEU a year, so experience with container operations and with lines such as Maersk, CMA CGM, COSCO, MSC, Hapag-Lloyd and others with offices in Ghana is relevant.

Ghana’s Logistics Performance Index score is about 2.5, with weaker areas in infrastructure, international shipments and tracking, all below the world median. When choosing freight forwarders in Ghana, check their performance on customs procedures, shipment visibility and inland transport arrangements between ports and borders. Trade is concentrated with Switzerland, the UAE, India, South Africa, China and others, and membership in ECOWAS and the AU shapes regional routing and documentation requirements.

FCL and LCL shipping from and to Ghana centers on the seaports of Takoradi, Tema, Sekondi and Saltpond. Ghana’s container throughput is about 1.7 million TEU per year, ranking about 55 of 168 countries worldwide. Liner connectivity is moderate, with a Liner Shipping Connectivity Index of about 37 in 2021 and a world rank around 43 of 169.

Takoradi and Tema are the main container ports, with cargo pier depths of about 16 m and 19 m respectively and rail connections into the hinterland. Several global shipping lines have offices in Ghana or its port cities, including Maersk, APL, CMA CGM, COSCO, Evergreen, Gold Star Line, HMM, Hapag-Lloyd, MSC, ONE, OOCL and others. These carriers support both FCL and LCL shipping from Ghana’s coast to its main export and import partners.

Air freight in Ghana uses 5 airports with scheduled services. The main gateways are Kotoka International Airport (ACC) in Accra, Prempeh I International Airport (KMS) in Kumasi, Yakubu Tali International Airport (TML), Sunyani Airport (NYI) and Takoradi Airport (TKD).

Ghana’s export mix includes gold, crude petroleum, cocoa beans, manganese ore and cocoa paste, while imports include refined petroleum, cars, plastics and footwear. Heavier bulk commodities move more efficiently by sea, while higher value manufactured goods, urgent shipments and some processed products are better suited to air freight in Ghana when transit time is critical.

Rail and road freight in Ghana connects the coastal ports to inland production and neighboring countries. The rail network totals about 947 km, and both Takoradi and Tema ports have rail access, supporting inland container and bulk movements. Recorded rail freight volume was about 181 million tonne km in 2006.

By road, Ghana shares borders with Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire and Togo, with total border lengths of about 602 km, 720 km and 1,098 km respectively. Road freight in Ghana links land borders to seaports for transit and regional trade within ECOWAS, and supports distribution to and from the main cities and airports.

Customs clearance in Ghana operates within a WTO member economy that has been part of the World Customs Organization since 1968. Ghana belongs to ECOWAS and the African Union, so regional trade agreements influence customs procedures and road and sea traffic with neighboring states. The average applied tariff is about 13 percent.

Ghana’s LPI customs score is about 2.7, slightly above the world median of 2.6, indicating moderate efficiency in border procedures. Export and import lead times by border compliance are both about 1 day. For most shipments, shippers should prepare at least a commercial invoice, packing list and appropriate transport document before starting customs clearance in Ghana.