Previously without a direct call, cargo destined for Liberia would pass through other regional ports, where containers are transferred from one vessel to another before proceeding to Monrovia, with Maersk’s intervention coming as a timely boost.
By Blue Africa News
International shipping giant Maersk has added Liberia’s Freeport of Monrovia to its growing list of African direct port calls, a major step in strengthening the West African country’s maritime industry and participation in international trade.
The announcement was made by Liberia’s National Port Authority (NPA) Managing Director Sekou A. M. Dukuly this week. The development represents an important opportunity for Liberia’s shipping and logistics sector, he explained.
“This move has the potential to improve cargo movement, strengthen maritime connectivity, and enhance the competitiveness of the Freeport of Monrovia as a gateway for international commerce,” he said.
A direct port call refers to a scheduled stop where a vessel travels directly from its origin port (or last port of operation) to a specific destination port without making any intermediate stops, detours, or cargo transshipments along the way
This means Maersk Line will ship directly to the Freeport as a scheduled stop on one of its shipping services, allowing vessels to deliver and collect cargo at the port as part of its service.
Previously without a direct call, cargo destined for Liberia would pass through other regional ports, where containers are transferred from one vessel to another before proceeding to Monrovia, causing delays along the way.
Tangier (Morocco), Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire), Takoradi and Tema (Ghana), San Pedro (Côte d’Ivoire), Lagos and Onne (Nigeria), Cotonou (Benin), Dakar (Senegal), Pointe-Noire (Congo Brazzaville), Kribi (Cameroon), Luanda (Angola), Walvis Bay (Namibia), Mombasa (Kenya) and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) among others were already serving as Maersk’s direct port calls, before Freeport’s inclusion.
Dukuly linked the development to NPA’s ongoing efforts to modernise Liberia’s port infrastructure, improve operational efficiency, attract international shipping services, and position the country as a competitive maritime destination within the West African subregion.
Direct port calls by major international shipping lines, he said, can reduce dependence on transshipment arrangements through neighboring countries, potentially shortening cargo transit times and lowering associated logistics costs for importers and exporters.
The Managing Director also announced efforts to decongest the Freeport of Monrovia that will deliver significant benefits to Liberia’s business community, saying the Authority is working to improve cargo-handling capacity and additional container storage space which will immensely contribute to shorter turnaround times, reduced operational bottlenecks, and greater predictability in cargo delivery.
The NPA boss said they are seeking to create a port environment capable of supporting increased trade volumes, improving service delivery, and contributing to sustainable national economic development.
Currently, NPA is collaborating with various agencies including the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), the Ministry of Commerce and other partners to fully automate the port system, with a view of having the Import Permit Declarations (IPDs) and other processes completed online, making the system more efficient and reducing physical delays.
In April, NPA announced that it had broken ground to install an automatic digital gate system at the Freeport of Monrovia, hinged on using facial recognition technology for pedestrian access and automatic license plate recognition for vehicles.
By replacing manual processes with automated verification and digital records, the authority anticipated faster entry and exit, shorter queues, better traffic flow, and tighter control.
The Freeport of Monrovia is the largest among Liberia’s four major seaports managed by the National Port Authority (NPA), alongside the Port of Buchanan, the Port of Greenville and the Port of Harper.
Digitisation of port operations in Liberia forms the bulk of NPA’s five-year strategic plan covering 2025–2030, launched in October 2025 with an intent of driving port transformation in Liberia.
Oliver Ochieng, Blue Africa News
