Ghana: An Important Notice on Oil Transfer Procedures

To promote safety and avoid maritime pollution, the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) has issued this shipping notice laying out the mandatory procedures for the transfer of oil and other substances.

As per their circular of 20 September 2020, any failure to meet GMA requirements may result in the levying of heavy, non-negotiable fines.
 
Members should also be aware that both the violations and fine amounts included in the GMA lists of “Approved Fines for Marine Pollution Violations”, a sample of which is included in the September 2020 circular, may change.
 
For example, in a November 2020 incident, the fine levied for the “Transfer of petroleum products without GMA approval (48HRS)” had increased fourfold from USD 60,000.00 to USD 240,000.00.
 
Information provided by Budd Ghana
budd.ghana@budd-pni.com