What a freight forwarder in Ghana does
A freight forwarder organises the movement of your goods from the supplier to your door. We do not own the ships or the aircraft. We book space on them, prepare the paperwork, coordinate every handover, and take responsibility for the shipment arriving complete and on time.
In Ghana the job is bigger than booking freight. Most of the cost and almost all of the delay sit at the Ghana end: the customs declaration in ICUMS, permits from agencies such as the FDA, duty payment, examination at Tema port, shipping line charges, and the truck to your warehouse. That is why most importers look for a clearing and forwarding company rather than a forwarder alone. Freight and clearance handled by the same team means nothing falls between two companies, and nobody blames the other when a container sits at the port.
As a licensed customs broker based in Tema, Trade Links Logistics does both. We arrange the freight through our agents at origin, prepare your declaration before the vessel or flight arrives, clear the goods and deliver them anywhere in Ghana or across the border.
Our freight and logistics services in Ghana
Every service below can be booked on its own or combined into one door-to-door job.
- Sea freight. Full containers (FCL), shared containers (LCL), reefers, RoRo and breakbulk into Tema and Takoradi. See sea freight to Ghana and FCL vs LCL shipping.
- Air freight. General air cargo and urgent consignments into Accra International Airport. See air freight to Ghana.
- Customs clearing. Brokerage at Tema port, Accra airport, Takoradi and the land borders at Aflao, Elubo, Paga and Hamile.
- Vehicles. Car shipping and clearing under the 2026 rules.
- Haulage and storage. Haulage and trucking anywhere in Ghana, and warehousing in Tema.
- Transit. Cargo through Tema to Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
- Exports. Export from Ghana, with documents and booking handled for you.
Main trade lanes: China, Dubai, Europe, the UK, the USA, Turkey and India. In-country, we also serve Accra and Kumasi.
How to choose a freight forwarder in Ghana
There are many freight forwarding companies in Ghana, and the cheapest quote is rarely the cheapest shipment. Ask every forwarder you consider, including us, the following.
- Customs licence. Is the company licensed by GRA Customs Division as a customs broker, or will it pass your clearance to someone else? Ask to see the licence.
- Industry membership. Is it a member of the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF)? Membership means the firm answers to a professional body.
- Shippers' Authority registration. Is it registered with the Ghana Shippers' Authority as a freight forwarder? Ask for the current registration.
- A transparent quote. Does the quote separate freight, origin charges, destination charges, duty and the agency fee? A single lump sum hides the items that later appear as "extras".
- Free-time management. Who watches the port storage and shipping line free days, and will you be warned before charges start? Demurrage is the most common surprise bill. Read our guide to demurrage and storage at Tema.
- One invoice. Can freight, clearance and delivery be billed together, with duty shown at cost?
- Visibility. Can you see where your shipment is without chasing someone by phone?
We will show our registrations on request, and our quotes list every charge line separately. You can follow every job on our tracking page.
What drives the cost of shipping to Ghana
A landed cost has four parts. Freight depends on the mode, the route, the container size or chargeable weight, fuel surcharges and the season. Origin charges cover collection, export clearance and terminal handling abroad. Ghana duty and taxes depend on the HS code, the CIF value and the duty band of 0, 5, 10, 20 or 35 percent, plus levies, VAT, NHIL and GETFund. Destination charges cover terminal handling, shipping line local charges, our clearing fee and haulage.
Duty is usually the largest single item. Estimate it with our import duty calculator, or the vehicle duty calculator for cars. For a full breakdown, read Ghana import duty explained and what a container to Ghana costs. Agree who pays which leg with your supplier using the right Incoterms.
Industries we serve
- Retail and general trade. Mixed cartons from China, Dubai and Turkey, often by LCL.
- Food and beverages. Dry food and chilled or frozen goods in reefers, with FDA permits handled.
- Pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. FDA-regulated products where documents must match registrations exactly.
- Construction and mining. Machinery, steel, spare parts and project cargo, including breakbulk and out-of-gauge loads.
- Automotive. Vehicles, spare parts and tyres, cleared under the age and inspection rules.
- Agriculture. Inputs such as fertiliser, equipment and packaging, and exports of Ghanaian produce.
- Manufacturing. Raw materials and production machinery on regular schedules.
See how we have handled real shipments in our case studies.
How to start a shipment with us
- Tell us about the cargo. What it is, roughly how big and heavy, where it is now and where it needs to go. Use the quote form.
- Get a clear quote. Freight, clearance and delivery itemised, with the expected duty estimated separately.
- Send the documents. Commercial invoice, packing list and any permits. Our import documents checklist lists what Ghana Customs expects.
- We ship and prepare. We book the freight and lodge the declaration before arrival, so clearance starts on day one.
- We clear and deliver. Duty paid, goods released and delivered, with updates at every stage.
New to importing? Start with how to import goods into Ghana and how customs clearance works at Tema, or read more about us.
Questions
What is the difference between a freight forwarder and a clearing agent in Ghana?
A freight forwarder arranges the transport of goods. A clearing agent, or customs broker, handles the customs declaration, duty and release in Ghana. Many Ghanaian firms do both, which is called clearing and forwarding. Using one company for both avoids gaps between the freight and the clearance.
How do I know a freight forwarder in Ghana is legitimate?
Ask for proof of a GRA Customs broker licence, GIFF membership and Ghana Shippers' Authority registration, and check the company has a physical office. Be wary of quotes that are far below others or that do not list charges. We show our registrations on request.
Do I need a freight forwarder to import into Ghana?
For anything beyond a courier parcel, almost always. Customs declarations in ICUMS are lodged by licensed brokers, and a forwarder books the freight and coordinates the port, the shipping line and the truck.
Can you collect goods from my supplier abroad?
Yes. Through our agents at origin we can collect from the supplier, handle export formalities and load the goods, so the whole journey is on one booking.
How long does it take to clear goods at Tema port?
With complete documents and permits in place, many shipments clear within a few working days of discharge. Examination, valuation queries or missing permits add time, which is why we lodge the declaration before the vessel arrives.
Do you handle shipments for businesses outside Accra and Tema?
Yes. We deliver anywhere in Ghana, including Kumasi, Takoradi and Tamale, and move transit cargo to Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
Talk to our operations desk.
Send your documents or cargo details and we will reply with a full quote: freight, clearance and delivery on one page.