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Ecobank Ghana has announced its commitment to offer innovative banking solutions to the players in the maritime sector in Ghana, leveraging the bank’s robust technology and branch network in Ghana and across Africa.

Ecobank Shipping Forum which is the first of its kind in Ghana was held on Tuesday, April 4 2023 at the Alisa Hotel, Tema to provide businesses and individuals in the shipping sector unrivalled access to payments and other value-added services to position Ecobank as the one-stop shop for all cargo-related payments.

The Ecobank Shipping Forum aimed to play a vital role in raising awareness and helping stakeholders derive all the benefits of making shipping payments with Ecobank.

Delivering his speech at the forum, the Managing Director of Ecobank Ghana, Mr Dan Sackey said that the bank had strategically equipped six out of its 67 branches in the port cities of Tema and Takoradi to facilitate trade.

“As a financial partner that is committed to contributing to the economic development and the financial integration of the African continent, Ecobank has strategically equipped six out of its 67 branches in the port cities of Tema and Takoradi to facilitate trade”, he noted.

Mr Sackey said that Ecobank Ghana over the years had been a pioneer in partnering with the Government of Ghana to facilitate trade by supporting its efforts in mobilizing revenue through statutory collections.

“Ecobank is proud to announce that all statutory and shipping-related payments can be made at all of its 67 branches. We have also provided you with the opportunity to pay conveniently, using our self-service digital channels, including Ecobank Mobile, for individual clients, and the bank’s business or corporate internet banking platforms- Omnilite and Omniplus, that serve business customers”, he disclosed.

He added that the bank continued to support the ease of doing business at Ghana’s ports through its strategic partnerships with statutory collecting agencies, port operators and shipping lines.

“These efforts have impacted importers, exporters and their freight forwarders tremendously by facilitating the ease of conducting business at Ghana’s ports through the bank’s ‘One-Stop Shop Payment solutions. This works to eliminate the challenges and risks associated with accessing different payment touchpoints to effect cargo-related payment obligations”, he added.

He emphasised that the bank had provided an integrated Mobile Money solution to serve small transaction payments for selected cargo-related payments.

The Managing Director further acknowledged the many challenges the maritime sector was facing as a result of the changes in the global economy, particularly, Ghana’s economic challenges resulting in the Debt Exchange Programme; hence, the need to profess solutions as a financial partner in the maritime sector.

“Today, freight forwarders face issues such as inflation, trade wars, sanctions, and the rising cost of shipping. To lighten these burdens, Ecobank Ghana is also complementing your efforts by offering Smart Financing Solutions that provide quick access to working capital and asset finance solutions at competitive rates and on flexible terms for qualifying clients”, he announced.

He mentioned that these solutions would address liquidity gaps that had traditionally been a challenge for some freight forwarders and logistics clients and improve turnaround time for cargo handling.

He again noted that the introduction of Smart Financing Solutions would reduce avoidable costs associated with cargo handling and facilitate the ease of doing business at Ghana’s ports.

“These solutions would support the ability of key maritime players in the industry, including statutory collecting agencies, port or terminal operators and shipping lines, to collect payments for their services with ease and on a time”, he noted.