Sea Freight from China to Tema
China → Tema · via ACC air / Tema sea · clearance by Ghana Revenue Authority, Customs Division
We move sea freight cargo from South China into Tema through ACC air / Tema sea. Tema is the container port city and industrial zone, which shapes the kind of cargo that moves on this lane and how it should be packed.
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.
Duty, tax and clearance into Tema
Imports into Ghana are cleared by Ghana Revenue Authority, Customs Division. The headline position is: VAT 15% plus levies; customs duty 0-20% under the ECOWAS CET. The de-minimis threshold is 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.
What the routing looks like in practice
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.
| Sea gateways used | Tema, Takoradi |
|---|---|
| Sea transit, China to gateway | 28-40 calendar 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
- Ask for the HS code in writing from your supplier and verify the Ghana duty rate against it yourself.
- Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure — it makes any claim far easier to settle.
- Put the Tema delivery address, contact name and phone number on the invoice, not just the packing list.
- Book earlier than the transit time suggests during Sep-Dec, when space on this lane tightens.
- Plan around the China-side windows too: Chinese New Year and Golden Week both compress capacity on the Ghana lane.
- Check the de-minimis position (No practical de-minimis for commercial cargo) against your invoice value before you decide how to split the shipment.
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Tema take?
China to the Ghana gateway is 28-40 calendar 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.
Which port or airport does cargo for Tema clear through?
Cargo for Tema is routed via ACC air / Tema sea. Sea gateways for Ghana are Tema, Takoradi; air gateways are ACC (Kotoka, Accra). We pick whichever gives the shortest total door time for your address.
Can you ship batteries or sensitive cargo to Tema?
Yes. Battery cargo by sea moves under UN3480/UN3481 with an MSDS, and the dangerous-goods documentation is prepared as part of the booking into Tema, Takoradi. Surcharges apply and space is more limited than for general cargo.
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.
Is sea freight cheaper than air freight into Tema?
Per kilo, yes — usually by a wide margin. The trade-off is time: 28-40 calendar days by sea versus 5-8 business days by air to the Ghana gateway, before clearance and the same-day inland leg. The crossover point is normally somewhere between 100 and 300 kg depending on the density of your cargo.
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.
- Pipe Fittings Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Assembly Line Equipment General Machinery & Industrial Equipment
- Semiconductor Equipment Specialised Production Machinery
- Transformers New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Brake Parts Automotive & Vehicles
- Ceramic Tiles Building Materials & Construction Products
- Bathroom Products Building Materials & Construction Products
- Engineering Plastics Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Ceramic Components Glass & Ceramic Products
- Data Center Equipment Telecom, Computing & Data Centre
- Home Appliances Home Appliances, HVAC & Commercial
- Laboratory Furniture Furniture & Home Products
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.
For ocean cargo, restricted commodities move under the IMO's IMDG Code, and the container has to be declared and stowed accordingly. Batteries, flammables and corrosives all have a compliant ocean path; what causes rolled bookings is finding out about them after the container is packed.
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 CBM? Sea Freight Volume Explained (Calculate Shipping Cost Fast!) — DDPCHAIN. 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.