CEMSE warns petroleum prices could be lower by up to 60 pesewas per litre if Ghana builds alternative mooring facility

The energy policy think tank says delays in developing additional petroleum discharge infrastructure have contributed to costly demurrage charges, supply-chain risks and avoidable expenses for consumers.

The Centre for Environmental Management and Sustainable Energy (CEMSE) has warned that Ghanaian petroleum consumers could be paying less for fuel if the country develops an alternative mooring facility to ease pressure on existing petroleum discharge infrastructure.

In a press statement dated November 5, 2026, the organisation said the prolonged delay in establishing an alternative facility since 2016 had raised concerns about investment, regulatory policy, infrastructure diversification and national energy security.

CEMSE estimates that demurrage costs associated with inefficiencies in the petroleum import and discharge chain translate into an additional cost of between GH¢0.47 and GH¢0.60 per litre of petroleum products, equivalent to approximately 2.63 to 3.35 per cent of the retail pump price.

The organisation argues that improving discharge capacity and operational efficiency could help reduce these avoidable costs and ease the financial burden on consumers.

Demurrage costs reach US$46.73 million in 2026

According to CEMSE, the petroleum sector recorded approximately US$61.6 million in cumulative demurrage exposure in 2025, compared with a historical annual estimate of about US$35 million.

It further reported that demurrage costs for the first half of 2025 stood at approximately US$21.6 million, while average daily charges were estimated at US$45,000.

For 2026, the organisation said approximately US$46.73 million had already been incurred in demurrage costs year-to-date.

Rising petroleum imports, limited infrastructure

CEMSE noted that petroleum product inflows increased from 3.53 million metric tonnes in 2015 to 6.09 million metric tonnes in 2025, representing an increase of about 73 per cent.

Over the same period, the number of Bulk Oil Distribution and Export Companies rose from 37 to 53, while the organisation also reported a 40 per cent increase in transit petroleum products supplied from Ghana to neighbouring northern countries.

Despite this growth, CEMSE said mooring infrastructure had not expanded, leaving the country heavily dependent on Tema, where approximately 75 per cent of petroleum products are reportedly discharged.

Call for policy review

The organisation is urging government to review the existing exclusivity arrangement for a petroleum discharge facility, assess regulatory barriers and establish a clear framework to attract credible private-sector investment.

It also wants alternative discharge infrastructure incorporated into Ghana’s long-term petroleum and energy security plans, with defined investment priorities, timelines and regulatory oversight.

CEMSE says decisive action is needed to reduce avoidable costs, strengthen supply-chain resilience and improve efficiency in the downstream petroleum sector.