Sea and air freight from the UK to Ghana
Full container (FCL). A 20ft or 40ft container for your goods only, loaded at your premises or a UK depot and shipped from Felixstowe, Southampton, London Gateway or Tilbury. The right choice for a full house move or a stock order of roughly 15 cubic metres or more.
Shared container (LCL). Pallets, cartons, barrels and boxes consolidated with other shippers' cargo, so you pay only for the space you use. Read FCL vs LCL shipping if you are unsure which suits you.
Air freight. From Heathrow to Accra International Airport, for documents, samples, spare parts and anything that cannot wait for a ship. Charged by actual or volumetric weight, whichever is higher.
Barrels, boxes and personal effects
Shipping barrels and boxes from the UK to Ghana is one of the oldest family traditions on this route: food, clothing, toiletries and gifts for relatives at home. We arrange collection at origin through our agents, and the barrels travel as part of a consolidated shipment to Tema.
To get them through customs without delay:
- Number every barrel and box and keep an itemised list of what is inside each one.
- Name the receiver in Ghana with a phone number and a Ghana Card number.
- Do not pack goods for resale in quantity, because a barrel full of identical new items is treated as commercial.
- Check food items, as some need FDA approval when shipped in commercial quantities.
Used personal and household effects of returning residents may qualify for relief, subject to conditions. Tell us before you pack if you are relocating to Ghana.
Commercial cargo to Ghana
For businesses importing stock, machinery or spare parts from Britain, the paperwork matters more than the freight. Make sure the commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading match on descriptions, quantities and values, and that you have your TIN or Ghana Card number as importer. Some products need permits or GSA conformity before release. Our import documents checklist covers the full list.
Goods leaving the UK also need a UK export declaration, which our agents at origin handle with the exporter.
Can you ship a UK car to Ghana?
Mostly no. Ghana refuses vehicles built as right-hand drive, and almost every car sold new in the UK is right-hand drive. Converting a car to left-hand drive does not change that. The few left-hand drive vehicles in the UK, such as imports from Europe, must still meet the other rules: from 1 October 2026 not more than 15 years from manufacture, no flood, fire or salvage damage, and a GSA-approved pre-shipment inspection.
Check before you buy, and read our guide to importing a used car into Ghana. If you want a car from Europe, our Europe to Ghana page may help.
How long it takes and what it costs
By sea, plan for about 18 to 30 days from a UK port to Tema, depending on the shipping line and transhipment, plus time for collection and clearance. By air, about 2 to 5 days.
The cost of shipping from the UK to Ghana depends on the volume or weight, collection distance from the port, sea or air, the type of goods and the duty band. For barrels, the number and size of barrels is the main factor. For a house move, the volume of furniture decides whether a shared or a full container makes sense.
Costs in Ghana are just as important as the freight. Terminal handling, shipping line charges, duty on dutiable items and delivery inland all add up, and a container left at the port past its free days starts paying storage and demurrage. Having your inventory and identification ready before the ship arrives is the simplest way to keep those charges down. Use the import duty calculator to estimate duty on commercial goods, and request a quote for the freight.
Clearance at Tema and door to door delivery
We are licensed customs brokers at Tema and Accra airport. We prepare the declaration in ICUMS before arrival, attend examination, and deliver to your home or business in Accra, Kumasi, Tamale or anywhere in Ghana. See how our clearing service at Tema works, and follow your shipment on our tracking page.
Questions
How long does shipping from the UK to Ghana take?
By sea, about 18 to 30 days port to port, depending on the shipping line and transhipment, plus collection in the UK and clearance at Tema. By air from Heathrow, about 2 to 5 days.
How much does it cost to ship a barrel from the UK to Ghana?
It depends on the size and number of barrels, where they are collected and how they are delivered in Ghana. Send the details through our quote form and we will price collection, freight, clearance and delivery together.
Can I ship my UK car to Ghana?
Only if it was built left-hand drive. Ghana refuses right-hand drive vehicles, so most UK cars cannot be imported. Left-hand drive vehicles must also be not more than 15 years from manufacture and pass a GSA-approved inspection.
What documents do I need to ship personal effects to Ghana?
A copy of your passport or Ghana Card, an itemised inventory of every package, and the bill of lading. Returning residents should also keep evidence of their stay abroad if they want to apply for relief on used effects.
Do you offer door to door delivery from the UK to Ghana?
Yes. We arrange collection at origin, the freight, customs clearance and delivery to your address anywhere in Ghana.
Will I pay duty on items in my barrels?
Often yes. Gifts and new goods are dutiable, and duty and taxes are assessed on the declared contents. Used personal effects of returning residents may qualify for relief. An accurate inventory keeps the assessment fair and quick.
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.