Containers wait more than 30 days at Monrovia port
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Frontpageafricaonline
Illustrative image · Bernard SpraggLiberia’s Senate has summoned port, customs and trade authorities to answer for clearance delays at the Freeport of Monrovia. Senator Amara Konneh says ships sometimes wait more than 30 days before docking, partly because of a lack of space and dredging delays, reports FrontPage Africa.
The Liberian Senate has summoned maritime and commercial sector authorities to explain delays in clearing goods at the Freeport of Monrovia. The decision was taken on Tuesday 27 October after a statement by Gbarpolu County Senator Amara Konneh, reports FrontPage Africa.
According to importers and shipping agents cited by Konneh, containers bound for Liberia spend an average of more than 30 days at sea before docking. Most ships are reportedly diverted to ports in Ivory Coast and Ghana, where they wait their turn. The senator blamed a lack of storage space and the inability of larger ships to dock because of delays in dredging the port basin and channel.
The delays tie up companies’ capital, weaken their stocks and lead to demurrage charges, Konneh warned. He also denounced the multiple, opaque transaction fees imposed by APM Terminals Liberia, MEDTECH Scientific Limited, Global Tracking and Maritime Solutions, the customs administration and other actors. He said these costs are passed on to consumers.
The senator said port inefficiencies and costs could be contributing to persistently high prices, while overall inflation has fallen to 4.6% and the Liberian dollar has strengthened against the US dollar. The Senate summoned officials from the National Port Authority, APM Terminals Liberia, MEDTECH, Global Tracking and Maritime Solutions, the customs administration, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and customs brokers’ associations.
