Benonita Bismarck, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers Authority (GSA), Ms Benonita Bismarck has said that engagements are ongoing among stakeholders to review the entire process of administration and handling of uncleared cargoes at the country’s ports.
According to her, reports on uncleared cargo are worrying and urgent steps are needed to address it.
Speaking at the 4th Ghana Shippers’ Award which was held on 1st October 2021 in Accra, Ms Bismarck said Uncleared Cargo List (UCL) administration and its management have been the bane of the Shipping Industry and at a time container cargo shortage has pushed freight cost up globally, efforts to deal with the menace needs to be stepped up.
She said, “GSA’s research indicates that some consignments belonging mostly to Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MMDAs) have stayed in the ports for as long as three (3) years accumulating large amounts of demurrage and rent”.
“Through the advocacy of the Authority, the Ministry of Transport has constituted a committee made up of key industry stakeholders to review the entire process of administration and handling of uncleared cargoes at our ports and to also develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for UCL administration.”
It is the hope of players in the sector that the implementation of recommendations of the committee would bring some relief and sanity into the administration of UCL at the country’s ports.
The move is expected to go a long way to free a lot of containers for the transport of goods thereby helping to address the issue of container shortage and push down freight rate.
“I wish to assure shippers and the business community of the GSA’s continued commitment to collaborating with all stakeholders in the shipping and logistics industry to reduce the cost of doing business at our ports in order to make Ghana a preferred destination for business,” Ms Bismarck said.