Five Mistakes Cost Ghanaian Families Thousands at Tema Port

Every holiday season, Ghanaian families in America ship cars, barrels, and household goods home to Accra and Tema. While most budget carefully for the freight quote, almost none account for the additional costs that can significantly increase the total expense. Annan Quaye, founder of Guldstreet Shipping, has spent four decades moving cargo between the US East Coast and West Africa. He highlights five common mistakes that can cost families thousands of dollars.

The first mistake is trusting the all-in quote. A shipper might tell you the cost is $1,500 door to door. However, Ghana customs will add duties, VAT, and roughly ten other levies, often increasing the total by 40 to 60 percent. Quaye advises that the only protection is an itemized quote that separates pickup, ocean freight, Ghana clearance, duties, and delivery. If a shipper cannot break down the costs, they are likely hiding something.

The second mistake is ignoring engine size. The Ghana Revenue Authority bases import duties on the cubic centimeters of the engine. A Toyota Highlander with a 2.4-liter engine pays 10 percent import duty, while the exact same car with a 3.5-liter engine pays 20 percent. Quaye recommends running the duty band before purchasing the car, not after.

The third mistake is missing the Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) inspection. Since October 1, 2026, every used vehicle imported into Ghana must pass a pre-shipment inspection in the United States before it sails. The inspection costs roughly $300 and must be done by a Ghana Standards Authority-approved inspector. If your car arrives at Tema without the certificate, the port will refuse entry. Even if you paid the shipping company in full, your car will sit at the dock, accumulating storage fees. Quaye reports that he has already seen vehicles stranded at Tema this month because shippers skipped this step.

The fourth mistake is shipping the wrong items. Ghana bans used refrigerators, used air conditioners, used freezers, and used mattresses. No exceptions are allowed. A perfectly working used fridge shipped from Newark will be seized at Tema. You will not get the item back, nor will you get your freight cost back. Quaye advises families to sell used appliances in America and buy new ones in Ghana, as it is cheaper than shipping a banned item.

The fifth mistake is waiting until Thanksgiving to book. The ocean transit from New York to Tema takes 18 to 22 days, and Ghana customs clearance takes another week. If you want your car or barrel to arrive before Christmas, you need to book by roughly November 28. After that deadline, most shipments land in early January. Quaye notes that every year he gets panicked calls in mid-December from families who thought they had time. By then, the only option is air freight, which costs four to eight dollars per kilogram and is only practical for documents.

Guldstreet Shipping helps diaspora families and businesses move cars, barrels, and household goods from America to Ghana. The company publishes open pricing data, runs pre-shipment compliance checks, and resolves stuck shipments at Tema Port. For families already stuck at Tema with another shipper, Guldstreet offers a service called the Shipper's Advocate to help clear cargo and dispute unfair charges.

The Ghana Agriculture Market is expected to hit USD 4.06 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 2.5% from 2026 to 2032. This growth is part of a broader trend in the Ghanaian economy, driven by increasing agricultural productivity and expanding trade.