Tema Port Congestion: 15 Ships Reported Waiting as New Surcharge Takes Effect
Tema port congestion leaves 15 ships reportedly waiting offshore. New logistics data, a carrier surcharge and original cost scenarios explain the impact on Ghana's trade.
Fifteen ships were reportedly waiting offshore at Ghana’s Tema Port for around seven days, with industry estimates putting daily vessel costs as high as US$70,000. New freight-monitoring data and a carrier congestion surcharge underline the pressure on importers, although published waiting-time measures differ.
TEMA — Congestion at Ghana’s busiest container gateway is putting pressure on vessel schedules, terminal storage and inland transport. Dr Adam Imoru Ayarna of the Ship Owners and Agents Association of Ghana (SOAAG) said 15 container vessels had been waiting offshore for an average of seven days, according to Ghana News Agency reporting on 2 November. The figure is a dated industry account, not a verified live vessel count.
Tema Port Congestion & Shipping Cost Explorer
Compare reported waiting times and model the possible cost of vessel delays.
Reporting snapshot: 4 November 2026Why are the waiting-time figures different?
Different statistical measures and observation coverage. The bars compare reported values only; they do not describe the distribution of individual vessel delays.
Vessel delay cost calculator
Change the assumptions to explore a hypothetical scenario.
15 ships × 7 days × $50,000–$70,000
Scenario only. Not audited port losses, carrier invoices, government revenue losses or consumer price increases.
Understand congestion surcharges
What would show that congestion is improving?
- Consistent daily vessel queue counts
- Mean and median waiting times from comparable data
- Container dwell time by cargo category
- Yard occupancy and truck turnaround times
- Empty-container evacuation performance
- Changes to published carrier surcharges
No live improvement claim is made without comparable operational evidence.
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