The Ministers of Transport and Trade, Agribusiness and Industry are expected to meet at the Tema Port in the coming days to explore measures to create additional berths for ships carrying clinker, as part of efforts to ease congestion and reduce delays in cargo clearance.
The congestion has delayed the clearance of clinker, leading to demurrage charges for cement manufacturers. The additional costs have been cited as one of the factors contributing to the recent GH¢12 increase in the price of a bag of cement .
Transport Minister, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, speaking on The Point of View on Channel One TV, said the Tema Port is under severe pressure due to limited space and increasing cargo volumes.
“The Cement Manufacturers, their problem is that we have allocated two berths for them. They want more berths so that their clinker comes, they will be cleared quickly. As I mentioned, the containerized cargo has also increased,” he said.
“There’s competition for space at the port to be able to serve all our importers. Friday, myself and the Minister for Trade, Honourable Elizabeth will be going to the port to see how we can also see which of the areas we can cede off to support the clearance of the cement raw materials that they are importing so that at least they will not be faced with any damage or any other extra charges,” he noted .
Emergency Acquisition of Cranes
Mr Nikpe also disclosed that the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) has been instructed to procure additional cranes to speed up the loading and offloading of cargo at the port.
“I also instructed the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority for them to acquire two cranes that will be able to load and offload quickly so that all the ships or all the shipping lines coming in with cargo would not have any issue in terms of delay that would have caused them to pay demurrage any longer.
“So they are going to do an emergency acquisition of two cranes that will augment already what they have on the ground that will facilitate the loading and offloading of cargo, and it is believed that we will be able to decongest the port,” he said .
Background: The Clinker Demurrage Crisis
The congestion at Tema Port has reached crisis levels for Ghana’s cement industry. According to the Chamber of Cement Manufacturers, Ghana (COCMAG), vessel waiting times for clinker ships have surged dramatically from an average of seven days in January 2026 to between 30 and over 40 days in August .
The delays are estimated to have cost the industry between US50 million in demurrage charges during the first eight months of 2026, with individual vessels incurring costs ranging from US1 million .
COCMAG introduced a temporary GH¢12 per bag clinker demurrage surcharge in September 2026 — comprising GH¢10 before tax and GH¢2 in applicable taxes and levies — to offset these exceptional costs. The Chamber emphasised that the measure was not a general cement price increase but a temporary intervention that would remain in place until December 31, 2026, subject to monthly monitoring .
Berths 10 and 11 Remain Inaccessible
According to the Chamber, congestion has been exacerbated by limited facilities for clinker discharge. Only three main berths are currently available, while Berths 10 and 11 remain inaccessible to cement importers and manufacturers .
COCMAG has warned that continued congestion could extend clinker shipment cycles to almost three months, potentially disrupting cement supply to the Ghanaian market .
The Chamber said the surcharge could be removed once congestion and associated demurrage costs return to normal levels .
Wider Port Congestion Challenges
The clinker crisis is part of a broader congestion problem at Tema Port, which has seen container volumes surge by nearly 100 percent — an unprecedented level over the past 20 years .
A Ghana Shippers Authority assessment report published on September 3, 2026, found that about 70 percent of containers at Tema’s Terminal 3 undergo full physical inspections, seven times the rate recommended by the World Customs Organization .
Terminal 3, which opened in 2019 after a $1.5 billion investment, can handle 3 million TEUs annually and accommodate vessels carrying up to 24,000 TEUs. It has already handled 2.5 million TEUs in 2026 before the peak season .
However, the terminal faces significant challenges on the land side, including a single congested access road, no rail connection to the hinterland, and underused inland container depots .
Impact on Cement Prices
The GH¢12 surcharge has already begun to weigh on demand, with retailers reporting weaker sales and fewer customers visiting their outlets .
Cement retailer Vida Okyere said the scale of the increase was making it difficult for some customers to maintain their usual order quantities.
“Prices of cement increased last week by GH¢12 and it’s very bad. Customers are complaining because at first, when the cement was increased, it wasn’t up to GH¢12. It was maybe GH¢3 or GH¢4.
“For instance, if the customers have a budget to buy 10 bags of cement, due to the increment, they will be compelled to lower their target or not make the purchase at all,” she said .
The price increase has also triggered calls for government intervention, with retailers warning that sustained increases could hurt both consumers and businesses across the construction supply chain .
Government Engagement with Stakeholders
The government has been actively engaging with stakeholders to find solutions to the port congestion. In February 2026, the Trade and Transport Ministers held an emergency meeting with cement companies and other stakeholders to address the delays .
Industry players have also pointed to potential relief solutions, such as optimising access to Berths 10 and 11, which could immediately help clear the vessel backlog .
The GPHA had previously indicated plans to dredge the Port of Tema by the end of the first quarter of 2026, which would significantly improve vessel turnaround time .
The government’s latest interventions, including the planned creation of additional berths and the emergency acquisition of cranes, are expected to help decongest the port and reduce the demurrage costs that have been passed on to consumers.
