Liberia: NPA Sets Up Strategic Technical Committee to Tackle Port Congestion and Cargo Delays
The Managing Director of the National Port Authority (NPA), Hon. Sekou A. M. Dukuly, has appointed a Strategic Technical Committee headed by Mr. Mohammed Calico Lavalie to untangle the delays frustrating port users, particularly importers moving goods from China.
Addressing a stakeholders’ meeting at the NPA headquarters, Hon. Dukuly described the Freeport of Monrovia as the heartbeat of the Liberian economy and as such the need to keep it that way must not be overemphasized. The meeting which was attended by the Consortium of Liberian Importers from China, the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry, the Liberia Revenue Authority, the Truckers Union of Liberia, APM Terminals, the Customs Brokers Association, shipping lines, and the NPA management team highlighted key issues that the committee with look into and report to the team.
Hon. Dukuly said, “Container dwell time has risen beyond acceptable thresholds. Yard occupancy is approaching levels that reduce operational flexibility, and truck turnaround times are lengthening. Delays in documentation and release are driving up storage and demurrage costs.” These cost, he emphasized “do not end at the port. They travel to the importer, and they finish their journey in the pocket of the Liberian consumer.”
The NPA, Hon. Dukuly stressed, has not been standing at the gate watching traffic. The Authority has intensified regulatory oversight of terminal performance and engaged APM Terminals on yard planning, equipment availability, and the evacuation of empty and overstayed containers.
“We have strengthened traffic management at the port gates and along the access corridors. We are working with Customs to reduce duplicate inspections, promote release guided by risk management, and expand document processing before vessels arrive. We have also opened structured dialogue with truckers and brokers on scheduling, documentation compliance, and cargo evacuation,” he said.
These measures are working, the MD noted, but congestion is a systemic problem, and systemic problems do not surrender to piecemeal answers. He put 3 outcomes on the table:
- A shared diagnosis of every bottleneck across the cargo chain, from berth to gate;
- Measurable interventions with clear owners and firm timelines, including a truck appointment system and extended clearance hours; and
- A joint technical committee to track agreed performance indicators and report regularly to all parties, the NPA included.
Hon Dukuly informed the stakeholders and a team of importers, that “the management of the NPA is ready to lead, ready to listen, and ready to act.”
Speaking during the meeting, the President of the Shipping Lines of Liberia sounded the seasonal alarm. The second quarter of importation has closed, he said, and the final quarter, with its Christmas rush, is already knocking. Vessels have idled in Abidjan for months because of congestion in Monrovia, and if the bottlenecks persist, Liberian businesses stand to lose fortunes. Adding Christmas, after all, does not wait for a clearance form.
For their part, APM Terminals Liberia thanked stakeholders for choosing solutions over blame game and reported marked improvements across the port ecosystem, with more than 800 containers now being discharged within 24 hours. The operator offered a pointed reminder: the port was built for transit, not for storage. The free period for consignees is five days, however, the 5 days has been stretched to 14 to accommodate clearance delays, and that generosity has come at the direct expense of yard space.
Source : NPA
