Air Freight from China to Tema
China → Tema · via ACC air / Tema sea · clearance by Ghana Revenue Authority, Customs Division
Tema is the container port city and industrial zone, and it is served through ACC air / Tema sea. That combination is what actually sets your delivery date on this lane — the inland leg is same-day, so the clearance date is effectively the delivery date.
The clearing authority is Ghana Revenue Authority, Customs Division. Historical dwell on this gateway is around 4-10 days, and it lengthens in Sep-Dec.
Import duty and tax position for Tema
Ghana Revenue Authority, Customs Division assesses duty and tax on cargo arriving for Tema consignees. Current regime: VAT 15% plus levies; customs duty 0-20% under the ECOWAS CET, with a de-minimis position of No practical de-minimis for commercial cargo.
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: Ghana Standards Authority conformity applies to regulated goods; most commercial imports need a customs classification and valuation report. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for Ghana: Valuation disputes on consumer goods are the usual cause of delay, and the paperwork is checked against the declared HS code rather than the invoice alone. Port charges at Tema rise sharply once free time expires.
How this lane actually runs
Tema, about 30 km east of Accra, is the container port and handles the great majority of Ghana's boxed imports; Takoradi in the west is the bulk, mining and oil-service port and takes some containers for the western region. Air cargo moves through Kotoka in Accra. Tema is well served from South China, so for most shipments the ocean leg is predictable and clearance is the variable.
| Air gateways used | ACC (Kotoka, Accra) |
|---|---|
| Air transit, China to gateway | 5-8 business days |
| Gateway serving Tema | ACC air / Tema sea |
| Inland leg to Tema | Same day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 4-10 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep-Dec |
Pre-shipment checklist for Tema
- Confirm the consignee in Tema can act as importer of record — Ghana Revenue Authority, Customs Division will not release cargo to an unregistered party.
- Budget for the inland leg: same-day delivery beyond gateway clearance to reach Tema.
- Book earlier than the transit time suggests during Sep-Dec, when space on this lane tightens.
- Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.
- Ask for the HS code in writing from your supplier and verify the Ghana duty rate against it yourself.
- Plan around the China-side windows too: Chinese New Year and Golden Week both compress capacity on the Ghana lane.
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Tema take?
China to the Ghana gateway is 5-8 business days. On top of that, allow 4-10 days of clearance with Ghana Revenue Authority, Customs Division and a same-day inland leg to Tema.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Tema?
Ghana Revenue Authority, Customs Division applies: VAT 15% plus levies; customs duty 0-20% under the ECOWAS CET. The de-minimis position is No practical de-minimis for commercial cargo. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Tema.
What documents does Ghana Revenue Authority, Customs Division require?
A commercial invoice with HS codes, a packing list, the bill of lading or air waybill, a certificate of origin where it lowers duty, and any product certification (Ghana Standards Authority conformity applies to regulated goods; most commercial imports need a customs classification and valuation report). We prepare and file these as part of the service.
How is the chargeable weight calculated for Tema?
We compare actual gross weight against volumetric weight — length × width × height in centimeters divided by 6000 for air — and bill the greater of the two, rounded up to the next kilogram. Light, bulky cargo is almost always billed on volume.
What certification do I need for Ghana?
For regulated goods, plan for: Ghana Standards Authority conformity applies to regulated goods; most commercial imports need a customs classification and valuation report. Missing conformity paperwork is the single most common cause of a hold, and in most cases it cannot be remedied once the cargo has arrived.
When is the busiest time on the China–Ghana lane?
Space and rates tighten around Sep-Dec, plus the China-side windows of Chinese New Year in January or February and Golden Week in early October. Book one to two weeks earlier in those periods.
Other delivery cities in Ghana
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Ghana change by ministerial decision, sometimes mid-year. The figures on this page are buyer-planning references, not a customs ruling — confirm the current position for your own HS code with Ghana Revenue Authority, Customs Division or your broker before you ship.
- WTO — Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- IPPC — ISPM 15 wood packaging standard
- WCO — Harmonized System nomenclature
- IMO — IMDG Code for dangerous goods by sea
Page data last reviewed: November 2026.
Shipping by industry
This page covers the route and clearance picture for the destination. Packing, classification and the compliance step that actually holds a shipment depend on what you are sending — these guides cover that by commodity.
- Garden Products Furniture & Home Products
- Footwear Textiles, Apparel, Footwear & Leather
- Medical Furniture Medical, Laboratory & Precision Instruments
- Display Stands Retail, Display & Commercial Fixtures
- Toys Toys, Sports, Outdoor & Leisure
- Baby Products Consumer Goods & Gifts
- Bathroom Accessories Consumer Goods & Gifts
- E-commerce Fulfilment E-commerce & Retail Channels
- Bearings Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Automation Equipment General Machinery & Industrial Equipment
- Electronics Manufacturing Equipment Specialised Production Machinery
- Generators New Energy, Power & Electrical
Price Trend — Tema
Live rate for the linked route page, shown here for a quick read before you click through.
Checking the Ghana duty position yourself
Duty and tax figures on this page are planning estimates. The binding assessment is made by Ghana Revenue Authority, Customs Division against your declared HS code at the time of entry; where the amount is material, verify the current rate through ITC Market Access Map before committing to an order.
Classification drives everything downstream: the same carton can attract very different duty depending on the heading it lands in, and the structure those headings come from is the World Customs Organization Harmonized System. If your product sits near a boundary between two headings, resolve it before shipping rather than at the border.
On the air side, anything with a cell or a battery in it, plus liquids, powders, magnets and aerosols, is governed by the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations. Those articles are not refused outright, but they need to be declared at booking so the shipment is built correctly — declaring them late is the single most common cause of an air consignment being offloaded.
For a wider view of how importing into Ghana actually works — documentation norms, inspection behavior, the paperwork that tends to hold shipments — the U.S. ITA guide to Ghana customs regulations is a useful independent read alongside our own lane notes.
Watch: the process behind this route
This guide covers routing and clearance for Tema. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.
What Is Chargeable Weight in Air Freight? — Smart Logistics Network. Published on YouTube by a third party; we link it because it explains the process well, not because we produced it or endorse the provider.