Published: May 8, 2026
MONROVIA — The National Port Authority has broken ground on an Automatic Digital Gate System at the Freeport of Monrovia that will deploy facial recognition technology and automatic license plate readers to digitally log every entry and exit through the port’s gates, replacing a manual access regime that authorities say has long enabled revenue losses and security vulnerabilities at Liberia’s premier maritime gateway.
The NPA said Wednesday that installation work is actively underway and on schedule for completion and dedication by the end of May 2026. Once operational, the system will give port management tamper-resistant, auditable records of all pedestrian and vehicular movement through port entry points — eliminating what the Authority described as discretionary checkpoints that have historically slowed cargo clearance and created openings for revenue leakage.
The project was procured through the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission under Request for Proposal No. NPA/QCBS/003/2025, issued Feb. 25, 2025, and publicly advertised in Front Page Africa. The NPA said the process met all statutory requirements under the PPCC Act.
Beyond access control, the Authority framed the system as a direct intervention in port revenue performance. Digitized gate transactions, it said, will close longstanding leakage points, eliminate bottlenecks that have added to cargo dwell time, and replace cumbersome manual procedures with seamless, auditable records — outcomes it says will accelerate vessel-to-gate cargo evacuation and strengthen the revenue base that funds reinvestment in port infrastructure.
The installation is also being advanced as a compliance milestone. Concurrent works on perimeter fencing are progressing alongside the gate system as the NPA moves to align the Freeport’s security architecture with the standards of International Maritime Organization member states and the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code. By hardening restricted area boundaries and digitizing access verification, the Authority said it is bringing Liberia’s port facility to the standard expected of facilities engaged in international trade, with direct implications for the safety of vessels, cargo, port workers and the broader supply chain.
The Freeport of Monrovia is Liberia’s main commercial port and the primary entry point for imported goods into the country. Delays, revenue leakage, and security gaps at the facility have long drawn scrutiny from trade partners, international auditors, and the business community. The NPA did not disclose the contract value of the digital gate installation.
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