Ghana
B/L Print Requirements
Mandatory text on Ocean B/L
- • Consignee Tax Identification Number (GRA TIN / Ghana Card PIN), 6-digit HS Code, and precise commercial cargo description mandatory on B/L and manifest.
- • Ocean freight must be prepaid.
Consignee TIN / Ghana Card PIN is mandatory on transport documents and required for booking code creation. For transit shipments (e.g. to Burkina Faso, Mali, or Niger via Tema), the transit clause ("In transit to [Country] via Port of Tema") must appear in the goods description.
Inspection & Certificates
Pre-loading inspection & filing
- • Mandatory EasyPass Certificate of Conformity issued under the GSA PVoC program at origin prior to loading for regulated goods.
- • Mandatory declaration filing on the ICUMS platform.
- • Marine cargo insurance must be placed locally with a Ghanaian licensed underwriter.
- • Food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals require prior FDA Ghana product registration.
Cargo & Standards
Labeling, vehicles & packaging
- • Passenger vehicles: maximum 10 years from manufacture
- • Right-hand-drive vehicles are strictly prohibited.
- • English product labeling mandatory on all consumer goods.
- • Official Veterinary Health Certificate and prior import permit mandatory for all imported meat and poultry products.
- • Motor vehicles older than 10 years face steep graduated over-age customs penalties.
- • ISPM 15 wood packaging compliance enforced at Tema and Takoradi.
- • ISPM 15 heat-treated stamp required on all wooden packaging.
Shipper & Consignee
Where this destination differs from standard practice
- • Foreign consignees are not accepted — a locally-registered entity must be named.
Consignee must be a registered Ghanaian commercial entity with an active GRA TIN. NVOCCs can be named as consignee on Master B/Ls. "To Order" B/Ls are permitted provided the Notify Party is the registered local buyer with complete physical address, phone number, and TIN printed on the B/L. PO Box only is rejected.
Non-Compliance Risk at Destination
Non-compliance with GSA EasyPass certification leads to mandatory container sampling holds and a 15% to 30% CIF destination penalty at Tema/Takoradi. Commercial imports without local Ghanaian marine cargo insurance face customs valuation blocks on ICUMS.
Compliance Timeline for Ghana
Follow this 3-step sequence from container stuffing through to port clearance.
Before Container Loading
- ✓ Complete pre-shipment inspection (PVoC / CoC) via GSA EasyPass Accredited Bodies (Bureau Veritas, SGS, Cotecna, Intertek, TÜV Rheinland) before cargo is stuffed.
- ✓ Verify vehicle age against the applicable statutory limit (10 yrs passenger).
- ✓ Confirm vehicle is NOT right-hand drive before booking.
- ✓ Confirm consignee is a locally-registered entity — foreign consignees are not accepted at this destination.
- ✓ Verify ISPM 15 heat-treated stamp on all wooden crates, dunnage, and pallets.
Prior to Sailing
- ✓ Ensure exact consignee Tax ID / Registration Code and 6-digit HS Code are printed on B/L.
- ✓ Submit SOLAS Verified Gross Mass (VGM) to loading terminal before yard cutoff.
Port Clearance at Destination
- ✓ Present original Certificate of Conformity (CoC) to destination standards inspectors.
- ✓ Collect Delivery Order (DO) upon completing Release verification.
Download Compliance Guide for Ghana (PDF)
Generate a practical, print-ready compliance document complete with statutory B/L clauses, ECTN certificate agencies, vehicle age ceilings, and station phone contacts.