EFFAG opposes proposed reintroduction of Smart Port Note System

The Exim Frozen Foods Association of Ghana (EFFAG) has urged the Ministry of Transport to reject any attempts to bring back the Cargo Tracking Note (CTN), also known as the Smart Port Note (SPN). EFFAG argues that the system would burden businesses and consumers with substantial additional costs.

EFFAG's Executive Secretary, Michael Obiri-Adjei, questioned a recent campaign by the Concerned Traders Association of Ghana advocating for the CTN/SPN's return. EFFAG stated the group is unfamiliar to the wider trading community and challenged its support for a system that has faced opposition for over a decade from importers, exporters, freight forwarders, logistics operators, and civil society groups.

The association contends that the CTN/SPN system would introduce new charges and administrative hurdles for traders without providing measurable improvements to cargo clearance or trade facilitation. EFFAG suggests the system's main goal is to collect shipping data for the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA), a function that should be funded through the authority's existing revenue streams, not additional fees on traders.

EFFAG further expressed skepticism about a reported partnership between the GSA and the Inter-Ocean Maritime and Logistics Institute (IOMLI), finding the arrangement inconsistent with the GSA's mandate to protect shipper interests. The association believes the CTN/SPN initiative is designed more as a revenue generator than a trade facilitator.

According to EFFAG, implementing the CTN/SPN could cost Ghanaian shippers between €187.2 million and €382.8 million annually. This estimate, based on Ghana's 2024 container traffic of 1.7 million TEUs and previous fee proposals, excludes certain cargo types, suggesting the actual economic impact could be higher. EFFAG warned that these added costs would likely be passed on to consumers through increased prices for imported goods. The association also pointed out that the Smart Port Note duplicates functions already handled by existing systems like the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS) and the Ghana Integrated Cargo Clearance System (GICCS), potentially adding administrative layers and increasing transaction costs.

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The CTN/SPN does not solve any identifiable problem within Ghana’s port ecosystem.