Shipping from China to Ghana is becoming more popular as businesses in Ghana want to introduce goods into the Ghanaian market. China is Ghana’s biggest supplier. This article takes a closer look at shipping from China to Ghana, discussing different transit options.
Shipping from China to Ghana
There are two ways of shipping goods from China to Ghana – sea freight and air freight. The main goods exported from China to Ghana:
- machinery
- nuclear reactors
- boilers
- vehicles and their parts
- chemical products
- steel
- iron
- furniture.
Shipping from China to Ghana – sea freight
The cheapest shipping option from China to Ghana is via sea. It is, however, on the more time-consuming side. Therefore, it is not the best for urgent shipments.
How long does it take to ship from China to Ghana via sea?
Shipping from China to Ghana by sea freight takes 40-60 days, and the transit time depends on the distance between seaports. For example, transit from Beijing Harbor to Tema Port takes almost 47 days, and from Shenzen Port to Tema Port takes around 48 days.
Main seaports in Ghana
Ghana has six seaports. They are the Port of Tema, the Port of Takoradi, the Port of Saltpond, the Port of Elmina, the Old Port of Sekondi, and the Port of Accra. The two main ports are Tema (in the east) and Takoradi (in the west). Besides, an inland port is now under construction at Boankra near Kumasi.
Tema Port
Tema Port is located in Southeast Ghana along the Gulf of Guinea. It is the main port of Ghana, handling more than 80% of the imported cargo. The annual cargo throughput is 12 million tons.
Tema Port is currently undergoing expansion to become more efficient. Ghana’s government has taken on several projects to upgrade this port’s infrastructure to import even more goods from around the world.
Takoradi Port
The second biggest harbor in Ghana is Takoradi Port. It is located in the western part of the country, in the industrial district of Sekondi-Takoradi. The port handles large volumes of cargo and serves as the main export port for Ghana.
Shipping from China to Ghana – airfreight
Air freight from China to Ghana has many benefits. It is the quickest way to ship products to Ghana from any part of the world. This kind of shipment requires minimal packaging and lower costs in this regard. Still, there are a lot of fees to take into account. The main concern when shipping by air freight is weight since you cannot ship products over a certain weight limit, which is significantly lower than when shipping via sea.
How much does it take to ship from China to Ghana by air?
Air freight from China to Ghana takes 5-10 business days, though the delivery time changes depending on the airline.
Cargo airport in Ghana
Several big airlines, like Aerogem Aviation, Qatar Airways, Lufthansa Cargo China Airlines, and Cargolux Airlines, offer air cargo services to Ghana.
Kotoka International Airport
Kotoka International Airport is currently the only international cargo airport in Ghana. It is located in Accra, the capital of Ghana. It is served by numerous cargo airlines on a regularly scheduled basis, in addition to ad-hoc cargo flights.
In 2016, Air Ghana opened the Ghana Airport Cargo Center, a dedicated cargo warehouse facility, in partnership with Ghana Airports Company Limited and Swissport.
Ghana’s prohibited and restricted goods
Items that cannot be shipped to Ghana are acids, aerosols, alcoholic beverages, animal skins, bleach, cash, precious items like gold, silver, precious stones, antique paintings, and arts. You cannot import explosives, firearms, air rifles, flammable products, ignitable gas, ivory, ivory products, live animals, knives, and any such weapons, poisons, pornographic materials, and tobacco.
How much does it cost to ship from China to Ghana?
The cost of cargo shipping depends on many factors, like the chosen route, size and weight of the shipment, and distance between ports. On Shiphub.co, it is easy to check the prices and find reliable freight forwarders by filling out a simple form.
Shipping from China to Ghana – to sum up
- Products shipped from China to Ghana are mainly: machinery, nuclear reactors, boilers, vehicles and their parts, chemical products, steel, iron, and furniture.
- When shipping from China to Ghana, the available transportation options are sea freight and air freight.
- Tema Port and Takoradi Port are the main harbors in Ghana.
- Kotoka International Airport is the main international airport in Ghana for shipping cargo.
- Get quotes from reliable forwarders on ShipHub.co for free.
