Monrovia, Liberia – October 8, 2024: The management of the National Port Authority (NPA) held a high-level consultative meeting yesterday with a joint delegation from the European Union’s project on Port Security in Western and Central Africa and the Port of Antwerp Bruges International.

During the meeting, Deputy Managing Director for Administration, Hon. James Richard Bernard, welcomed the delegation and outlined the numerous challenges faced by the NPA, particularly concerning safety, security, and equipment. He emphasized that both the Freeport of Monrovia and the Port of Buchanan are ISPS-certified ports, highlighting the urgent need for training and the provision of equipment for port security and safety departments.

Hon. Bernard expressed gratitude to the EU delegation, which included Mr. Fabrice Tollari, a Crisis Management Expert from France; Mr. Nico Vertongen, Senior Manager of the Port of Antwerp Bruges; and Madam Montse Pantaleoni, a representative of the EU office in Monrovia. He acknowledged their efforts in exploring the importance of integrating Liberian ports into the 2025 EU Project.

The EU delegation underscored its purpose in meeting with the NPA’s executive management: to understand Liberia’s operational landscape in order to better identify the challenges faced by the authority. They shared their extensive experience in collaborating with various African ports to enhance safety and security standards and conveyed their mission to explore investment opportunities in Liberia’s port infrastructure. This initiative aims to position Liberia as a strategic gateway in West Africa.

The EU Project team consists of experts from French and Belgian Technical Cooperation Agencies, focused on the potential integration of Liberia’s port sector into a new EU-funded project on Port Safety and Security. This project is currently being formulated and is expected to commence in early 2025.

On October 9, 2024, the EU delegation will visit several stakeholders, including APM Terminals, the Maritime Authority, and the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA). Additionally, the team plans to visit the Port of Buchanan in Grand Bassa County.