Ghana secures stable freight rates for 2025/26 cocoa export season 

GHANA – Ghana has finalised stable freight rates for its cocoa exports for the 2025/26 crop season following successful negotiations with major global shipping lines in Rouen, France. 

The discussions brought together the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA), the Cocoa Marketing Company (CMC), and 20 international carriers. The outcome is expected to protect the country’s cocoa export competitiveness amid escalating shipping costs and global geopolitical challenges. 

Under the new arrangement, freight charges were set at £32 per tonne for shipments to the United Kingdom, €56.72 per tonne for northern Europe, and US$122.05 per tonne for Brazil.  

Long-haul destinations such as Japan were fixed at US$111.39 per tonne, while rates to Mediterranean Europe were agreed at €63.67 per tonne. All charges include bunker adjustment factors, with payments to be made in US dollars based on Reuters exchange rates on the day of shipment. 

The annual Cocoa Freight Negotiations have become a central feature of Ghana’s cocoa value chain, offering predictability for shippers and stability for carriers.  

Prof. Ransford Gyampo, Chief Executive of the GSA, described the forum as a “strategic space for dialogue and partnership” that has consistently safeguarded Ghana’s cocoa trade. 

He further emphasised that the latest agreement aligns with broader reforms in Ghana’s maritime and logistics sectors. “These facilities, together with ongoing automation and the 24-hour port policy, will cut costs, improve turnaround times, and make Ghana’s cocoa trade more competitive,” Prof. Gyampo stated. 

Ghana has been advancing port modernisation and logistics infrastructure to support its export trade. The second phase of the MPS Terminal at Tema is now fully operational, Takoradi Port has undergone major upgrades, and the Boankra Inland Port—currently 80 percent complete—will soon extend logistics services inland, serving exporters from the middle and northern belts as well as neighbouring landlocked nations. 

Prof. Gyampo also underscored the importance of digitalisation and sustainability. He highlighted the growing adoption of e-services by shipping lines and called for harmonisation of digital tools to benefit small and medium exporters.  

On sustainability, he pointed to Ghana’s Cocoa Traceability System and the International Maritime Organization’s green shipping strategy as key areas of alignment. 

For a country that derives more than 70 percent of its foreign exchange from cocoa, freight costs remain critical. The 2025/26 agreement secures exporter confidence, ensures government revenue stability, and strengthens Ghana’s position against global competitors such as Côte d’Ivoire. 

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