Ghana signs a second freight agreement with International Service Solution as it looks to move more containers by rail and ease pressure on Tema Port
Ghana is working towards increasing rail freight volumes through a new agreement with logistics company International Service Solution (ISS), as the country aims to reduce congestion at Tema Port and improve the movement of cargo to inland destinations.
The Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA) signed the offtake agreement with ISS in October. The arrangement is intended to expand container transport on the Tema–Mpakadan railway, a nearly 97km standard-gauge line that began operating in 2024.
This deal is part of Ghana’s plan to make better use of its rail infrastructure and offer importers and freight forwarders an alternative to road transport. Road haulage remains the dominant mode of moving cargo inland, partly because trucks offer greater scheduling flexibility and door-to-door delivery.
According to the GRDA, between 2,500 and 3,000 containers had been transported by rail since September, highlighting the line’s growing role in cargo movement.
The authority is also working with the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority and private-sector operators to move containers from Tema to inland facilities, including Kumasi Unity Terminal. The initiative aims to ease the accumulation of containers at the port and bring cargo closer to importers and other end users.