Permitting System

Under the provisions of the Ghana Shipping (Amendment) Act (Act 826), a foreign ship that intends to engage in local trade within Ghana’s maritime jurisdiction may do so if the foreign ship has a permit issued by the Ghana Maritime Authority. The Ghana Shipping (Protection of Offshore Operations and Assets) Regulations (LI 2010) stipulates that a person who intends to operate a vessel, site an installation, site a storage facility, or lay a pipeline, a cable, equipment, or any other structure or device on the seabed within Ghana’s maritime jurisdiction shall obtain a permit from the Ghana Maritime Authority.

The various categories of permits are as follows:

A. Foreign Ship Operating Permits

Permit to Operate

1. An applicant shall officially write to the Director-General of the Ghana Maritime
Authority (GMA) for a permit. The application should contain the following:
information.

i. Subject matter indicating the request and name of the ship.
ii. Name, postal address, telephone number and email address of applicant or agent
in Ghana.
iii. Nature of intended trade in Ghanaian waters and the location of the activities.
iv. Evidence indicating applicant’s commitment to social responsibility in relation
to the training of Ghanaian seafarers and cadets.
v. The applicant shall attach copies of all statutory/trading certificates of the
vessel.

2. The application shall be evaluated by the Technical Division of the Authority.

i. Upon satisfactory evaluation report, the applicant is issued with the appropriate
charge by a payment order.
ii. The Applicant pays into the designated account as per the Payment Order.
iii. The Applicant presents the bank pay-in slip to the GMA Accounts Department for
a Payment Receipt (to be issued)
iv. The Permit is then processed by the Technical Division and issued to the
applicant.

3. After payment is made and the GMA receipt issued as in 2 (iii) above, the Permit will
be ready within 5 working days

Safety Permit for Ships, FSUs, MODUs, and Other Marine Installations

1. An applicant shall officially write to the director-general for a permit. The application shall contain the following information:

i. Subject matter indicating the request and name of the ship.

ii. Name, postal address, telephone number, and email address of applicant or agent in Ghana. iii. In the case of pipe or cable laying, the RPL of the pipeline or cable shall be provided.

iv. In the case of a bunker vessel or FSU for fuel oil, copies of the SOPEP, SMEP and bunker operations checklist shall be provided.

v. In the case of an FPSO, FSU, MODU and other marine installations (moored / fixed / floating), the coordinates for the location of the unit shall be provided.

vi. The applicant shall attach copies of all statutory / trading certificates of the vessel, ship or installation.

2. Evaluation and processing of application documents:

i. The submitted application and documents shall be evaluated by the Technical Division of the authority.

ii. Upon satisfactory evaluation report, the applicant is issued with the appropriate charge by a Payment Order.

iii. The Applicant pays into the designated account as per the Payment Order.

iv. The Applicant presents the bank pay-in slip to the GMA Accounts Department for a Payment Receipt.

v. The Permit is then processed by the Technical Division and issued to the applicant.

vi. After payment is made and the GMA receipt issued as in (iv) above, the Permit will be ready within five (5) working days.

Permit for Bunkering Operations at Port

1. An Applicant shall officially write to the Director-General of the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) for a permit. The application shall contain the following information:

i. Subject matter indicating the request.

ii. Name, postal address, telephone number, and email address of applicant.

iii. A company brief pertaining to applicant’s expertise in the activity to be engaged in.

iv. Pre-transfer safety check-list.

v. Bunkering operational procedures or plan.

vi. Emergency Preparedness and Response to prevent marine pollution.

2. Evaluation and processing of application documents:

i. The submitted application and documents shall be evaluated by the Technical Division of the Authority.

ii. An inspection of the facility shall be conducted by GMA Technical staff and a report submitted for consideration.

iii. Upon satisfactory evaluation/inspection report, the applicant is issued with the appropriate charge by a Payment Order.

iv. The Applicant pays into the designated account as per the Payment Order.

v. The Applicant presents the bank pay-in slip to the GMA Accounts Department for a Payment Receipt.

vi. The Permit is then processed by the Technical Division and issued to the applicant.

3. After payment is made and the GMA receipt issued as in 2(v) above, the Permit will be ready within 5 working days

Permit for Service Stations (LSA, FFA & Radio)

1. An applicant shall officially write to the Director-General of Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) for a permit. The application shall contain the following information:

i. Subject matter indicating the request.

ii. Name, postal address, telephone number, and email address of applicant.

iii. A company brief pertaining to the applicant’s expertise in the activity to be engaged in.

iv. At least one properly trained member of the personnel of the company shall at all times have a valid servicing certificate for the equipment being serviced.

v. The company shall have a current servicing agreement with the manufacturers of the equipment being serviced.

vi. Occupational Health, Safety and Emergency procedures of the company.

i. Evaluation and processing of application documents:

ii. The submitted application and documents shall be evaluated by the Technical Division of the Authority.

iii. An inspection of the facility shall be conducted by GMA Technical staff and a report submitted for consideration.

iv. Upon a satisfactory evaluation/inspection report, the applicant is issued the appropriate charge by a Payment Order.

v. The Applicant pays into the designated account as per the Payment Order.

vi. The applicant presents the bank pay-in slip to the GMA Accounts Department for a payment receipt to be issued.

vii. The permit is then processed by the Technical Division and issued to the applicant.

2. After payment is made and the GMA receipt issued as in 2(v) above, the permit will be ready within 5 working days.

Permit for a Shipbuilding Facility

The building of any ship in Ghana shall be supervised by a surveyor employed by the person who commissioned the building of the ship. It shall be the duty of the employer to submit periodic progress reports of the work on the ship to the director general.

1. An Applicant shall officially write to the Director-General of the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) for a permit. The application shall contain the following information:

i. Subject matter indicating the request

ii. Name, postal address, telephone number and email address of applicant

iii. A company brief pertaining to applicant’s expertise in the activity to be engaged in

iv. At least one properly trained and certified person in boat building.

v. The type and sizes of boats to be built

vi. Location of the facility or yard

vii. Occupational Health, safety, and Emergency procedures of the company

2. Evaluation and processing of application documents:

i. The submitted application and documents shall be evaluated by the technical division of the authority.

ii. An inspection of the facility shall be conducted by GMA technical staff, and a report submitted for consideration.

iii. Upon a satisfactory evaluation/inspection report, the applicant is issued the appropriate charge by a Payment Order.

iv. The applicant pays into the designated account as per the payment order.

v. The Applicant presents the bank pay-in slip to the GMA Accounts Department for a Payment Receipt to be issued

vi. The permit is then processed by the technical division and issued to the applicant.

3. After payment is made and the GMA receipt issued as in 2(v) above, the permit will be ready within 5 working days.

Permit for Ship Breaking

1. An Applicant shall officially write to the Director-General of the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) for a permit. The application shall contain the following information:

i. Subject matter indicating the request and the name of the ship

ii. IMO Number

iii. Last Flag

iv. Last Port of registry

v. Deletion Certificate vi. Gross Tonnage

vii. Original Certificate of Registry of the ship to be scrapped

viii. Contract of Sale (if applicable)

ix. Name, postal address, telephone number and email address of applicant

x. A company brief pertaining to applicant’s expertise in the activity to be engaged in

xi. A completed GMA ship recycling summary information Form

xii. A Ship Recycling Plan (SRP)

2. Evaluation and processing of application documents:

i. The submitted application and documents shall be evaluated by the technical division of the authority.

ii. An inspection of the vessel and the recycling site shall be conducted by GMA technical staff, and a report submitted for consideration.

iii. Upon a satisfactory evaluation/inspection report, the applicant is issued with the appropriate charge by a Payment Order.

iv. The applicant pays into the designated account as per the payment order.

v. The applicant presents the bank pay-in slip to the GMA Accounts Department for a payment receipt to be issued.

vi. The permit is then processed by the technical division and issued to the applicant.

3. After payment is made and the GMA receipt issued as in 2(v) above, the Permit will be ready within five (5) working days

Permit for a Ship Recycling Facility

1. An Applicant shall officially write to the Director-General of the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) for a permit. The application shall contain the following information:

i. Subject matter indicating the request

ii. Name, postal address, telephone number, and email address of applicant.

iii. A company brief pertaining to applicant’s expertise in the activity to be engaged in.

iv. Location and layout of the Facility (site)

v. A Ship Recycling Facility Plan (SRFP)

2. Application documents’ evaluation and processing:

i. The submitted application and documents shall be evaluated by the technical division of the authority.

ii. An inspection of the recycling facility shall be conducted by GMA technical staff, and a report submitted for consideration.

iii. Upon a satisfactory evaluation/inspection report, the applicant is issued the appropriate charge by a Payment Order.

iv. The applicant pays into the designated account as per the payment order.

v. The applicant presents the bank pay-in slip to the GMA Accounts Department for a payment receipt to be issued.

vi. The permit is then processed by the technical division and issued to the applicant.

3. After payment is made and the GMA receipt issued as in 2 (v) above, the permit will be ready within five (5) working days.

Permit for an Area to Be Avoided (ATBA) / Advisory Zone / Protection Mechanism

(i) ATBA (An ATBA once established is subject to acquisition of a Safety Permit)

1. An applicant shall officially write to the Director-General of the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) for a permit. The application shall include the following:

i. Subject matter indicating the request.

ii. Name, postal address, telephone number, and email address of applicant.

iii. The applicant shall attach the coordinates of the center of the Area to Be Avoided.

2. The application shall be evaluated by the Technical Division of the Authority.

i. Upon a satisfactory evaluation report, the applicant is issued the appropriate charge via payment order.

ii. The Applicant pays into the designated account as per the Payment Order.

iii. The applicant presents the bank pay-in slip to the GMA Accounts Department for a payment receipt to be issued.

iv. The permit is processed by the technical division and issued to the applicant.

v. After payment is made and the GMA receipt issued as in (iii) above, the permit will be ready within five (5) working days.

(ii) PROTECTION MECHANISM (Cables and Pipelines)

1. An applicant shall officially write to the Director-General of the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) for a permit. The application shall include the following:

i. Subject matter indicating the request

ii. Name, postal address, telephone number and email address of applicant

iii. The applicant shall attach the RPL of the pipeline or cable

2. The application shall be evaluated and the route plotted by the technical division of the authority.

i. Upon a satisfactory evaluation report, the applicant is issued the appropriate charge via a Payment Order.

ii. The Applicant pays into the designated account as per the Payment Order.

iii. The applicant presents the bank pay-in slip to the GMA Accounts Department for a payment receipt to be issued.

iv. The permit is processed by the technical division and issued to the applicant.

3. After payment is made and the GMA receipt issued as in 2 (iii) above, the permit will be ready within five (5) working days.

Procedure for Ship Registration

Importation Permit

1. The applicant shall obtain a permit for the importation of the vessel from:

i. The Ministry In charge of Transport for all ships (except fishing vessels)

ii. The Ministry of Food and Aquaculture Development (for fishing vessels) with copies of the following documents attached:

i. Builders’ Certificate (newly built vessels)

ii. Bill of Sale (for existing vessels)

iii. Deletion certificate (for existing vessels)

iv. Vessels’ Statutory Certificates

Application for Registration

2. An applicant shall officially write to the Director-General of the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) for the registration of the vessel with copies of the following documents attached:

i. Certificate of incorporation of company

ii. Certificate to commence business

iii. Company objectives on Form 3 and Continuous Synopsis Record (CSR) of the vessel

iv. Bill of sale (vessels on sale) or

v. Builders’ certificate (newly built vessels).

vi. Vessel Statutory Certificates

vii. Deletion Certificate (for existing vessels)

3. Upon satisfactory assessment of the aforementioned documents, approval will be given for the purchase of the under-mentioned forms from the Ghana Maritime Authority.

i. Application to register a ship

ii. Declaration of ownership

iii. Notice of a name proposed for a Ghanaian Ship

iv. Allotment of signal letters

v. Survey application form

4. The applicant fills out all the forms and submits the survey form to the authority.

5. The applicant is issued the appropriate charge via payment order.

6. The Applicant pays into the designated account as per the Payment Order.

7. The applicant presents the bank pay-in slip to the GMA Accounts Department for a payment receipt.

8. A surveyor is appointed to conduct an initial survey. 9. After the initial survey, the application is approved by the Director-General.

10. The Registrar of Ships then appropriates an official number and issues the ship’s carving and marking note.

11. Applicant submits the ship’s survey certificate and carving and marking note duly issued by the surveyor to the registrar of ships.

12. The applicant is issued the appropriate fee via a payment order.

13. The Applicant pays into the designated account as per the Payment Order.

14. The applicant presents the bank pay-in slip to the GMA Accounts Department for a payment receipt to be issued.

15. The Ship’s Certificate of Registry will then be issued within five (5) working days.

B. Safety Permits for all ships operating in Ghanaian waters:

i) Offshore support services

ii) Bunkering (offshore)

iii) MARPOL services

iv) MODUs

v) FPSO

vi) FSUs

vii) Subsea infrastructure services (cable laying, pipe laying and repairs)

viii) Research

ix) Marine Construction

x) Dredging 

C. Protection zones (ATBAs, Advisory Zones, cables and pipelines)

D. Other Permits

New Vessel Construction

A. Examination of Plans and Agreements for Approval.

i. An application shall be made to the Director-General of the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) with three sets of the drawings and plans of the vessel.

ii. The Director-General refers the application to the Technical Division for evaluation.

iii. Upon satisfactory evaluation, the Technical Division determines the appropriate charge.

iv. The Accounts Department issues a Payment Order to the applicant to be paid into the designated account.

v. The applicant presents the pay-in slip to the accounts department for a payment receipt to be issued.

vi. The Technical Report, with a copy of the Payment Receipt, is submitted to the Director-General for verification and approval.

B. Survey of New Vessel Construction.

i. Application to the Director-General with a supporting work plan of the construction.

ii. The Director General refers the application to the Technical Division for evaluation.

iii. Upon satisfactory evaluation, the Technical Division determines the appropriate charge, and the Accounts Department issues a Payment Order to the Applicant for payment to be made into the designated account.

iv. The applicant presents the pay-in slip to the accounts department for a payment receipt to be issued.

v. A copy of the Payment Receipt is forwarded by the Accounts Department to the Technical Division for the necessary action.

vi. The Technical Division assigns a surveyor to conduct periodic surveys of construction of the vessel.

C. Examination of Documents for the Importation of Vessels, except Fishing Vessels.

i. Application is made to the minister in charge of transport with the following supporting documents attached for all ships:

    • Copies of all statutory and trading certificates of the vessel
    • Copies of all trading certificates
    • Any other survey report of the vessel

ii. The minister in charge of transport refers the application to the director-general.

iii. The Technical Division examines the application and its supporting documents.

iv. The Accounts Department issues a payment order to the applicant for the examination fee to be paid into the designated account.

v. The applicant presents the pay-in slip to the accounts department for a payment receipt to be issued.

vi. The technical report is then submitted to the director-general for onward submission to the minister of transport with recommendations.

D. Examination of Documents for Importation of Fishing Vessels

I. An application is made to the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture Development (MoFAD) together with the following supporting documents of the vessel to be imported:

    • Copies of all statutory and trading certificates of the vessel
    • Copies of all trading certificates
    • Any other survey report of the vessel

II. The minister in charge of fisheries and aquaculture development refers the application to the minister in charge of transport for advice on the seaworthiness of the vessel to be imported.

III. The minister for transport refers the application to the director-general of the Ghana Maritime Authority.

IV. The Technical Division examines the application and its supporting documents.

V. The Accounts Department issues a payment order to the applicant for the examination fee to be paid into the designated account.

VI. The applicant presents the pay-in slip to the accounts department for a payment receipt to be issued.

VII. The technical report is then submitted to the director-general for onward submission to the minister of transport with recommendations.

VIII. The recommendation from the technical report is conveyed by the minister for transport to the minister for fisheries and aquaculture development for necessary action.

Note: The Authority may call for an inspection of the vessel at the shipyard or wherever the vessel may be to affirm the condition of the vessel.

Licensing of Vessels Under 150 Tonnes or 24 Metres

i. Application to the Director-General of the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) with the following supporting documents:

    • Certificate of incorporation of company
    • Certificate to commence business
    • Company objectives on Form 3
    • Bill of sale (vessel on sale)
    • Builders’ certificate (newly built vessels).

ii. The Director-General refers the application to the Registrar of Ghanaian Ships (R.O.G.S.) and the Technical Division for examination and survey.

iii. Upon satisfactory evaluation, the Accounts Department issues a payment order to the applicant to pay the examination fee into the designated account.

iv. The applicant presents the pay-in slip to the accounts department for a payment receipt to be issued.

v. The Technical Division assigns a surveyor to conduct a survey on the vessel, and the Survey Report is submitted to the Director-General for endorsement.

vi. The R.O.G.S. initiates the registration process and issues a Carving and Marking Note to the applicant.

vii. The Applicant carries out carving and marking in accordance with the issued note and notifies the R.O.G.S. 17 17

viii. The R.O.G.S. requests a surveyor to inspect the carving and marking and endorses the same if satisfactory.

ix. The endorsed Carving and Marking Note is returned to the R.O.G.S. to complete the registration, and the applicant is granted the license.

Bareboat Charter Registry

The procedure shall be the same as the procedure under Registration of Ships.

Issue of Continuous Synopsis Records (CSR)

i. An application is made to the Director-General with the following supporting documents.

a. List of past names of the vessel

b. A copy of the certificates of registry of the vessel

ii. The Director-General refers the application to the Technical Division for evaluation.

iii. Upon evaluation, the Accounts Department issues a payment order to the Applicant for the applicable fee to be paid into the designated account.

iv. The applicant presents the pay-in slip to the accounts department for a payment receipt to be issued.

v. A copy of the Payment Receipt is forwarded by the Accounts Department to the Technical Division for the CSR to be issued to the applicant.

Marine Statutory Surveys / Certification

i. An application shall be sent to the director-general requesting surveys to be carried out on their vessel.

ii. The applicant shall attach the following documents of the said vessel to the application:

  • Copy of certificate of Ghanaian Registry
  • Copy of owner’s certificate of incorporation
  • Copy of certificate to commence business

iii. The Authority shall respond to the owner’s application letter together with an invoice of applicable fees or payment order issued by the Accounts Department.

iv. The owner then will pay the applicable fees at the Ecobank into GMA’s account.

v. The bank’s pay-in slip is then submitted at GMA’s Accounts Department.

vi. The Accounts Department then will issue the original receipt to the owner, and the copy of the receipt will be submitted to the Technical Department.

vii. After that, the appointed GMA surveyors shall be notified, the said vessel shall be attended to, and the surveys shall be carried out.

viii. The survey’s report is submitted by the Technical Division to the Director-General for verification and the applicant is issued with the relevant certificates