CMA CGM has placed temporary suspension on the collection of Terminal Handling Charges in all seaport in Ghana.
In a notice to customers, the shipping firm said: “CMA CGM wishes to inform its customers that the collection of Terminal Handling Charges (THC), which was introduced in Ghana on July 20th, 2016, has been temporarily suspended, effective October 4th, 2016”.
The statement explained that CMA CGM will communicate on the resumption in due course.
Shipping Position Daily recalls that, the Ghanaian government had in September outlawed collection of the controversial charge in Ghanaian ports.
The decision to stop the charges was arrived at after hours of meeting between stakeholders in the shipping industry and the country’s ministry of transport . The ministry referred the matter to the Ghana Maritime Authority which is expected to present a report on it within two months.
Shippers were expected to be paying between $140 and $155 for a 20-foot container and $260-$275 for a 40-foot .
Various groups in the industry, including the Ghana Shippers Authority, the Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority, Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana, among others had kicked against it, saying it would further increase the cost of doing business.
They argue that the new charges are unnecessary, saying they have already been factored into the freight charges they pay before a ship sets sail. They fear if the charges come into force, they would be paying close to $60 million annually.
The shippers say as it stands now, they are reeling under the impact of multiplicity of taxes and levies at the ports.
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