Published: June 10, 2026
MONROVIA — The largest vessel ever to call at a Liberian port has docked and discharged at the Freeport of Monrovia in two days, the National Port Authority said Tuesday, as the agency used the milestone to launch a transparency drive aimed at opening its operations to wider public scrutiny.
The CMA CGM Springs, a 234.86 meter container ship, arrived with roughly 43,000 metric tons of cargo and 3,000 containers, the NPA said, the biggest cargo load handled at any Liberian port. Managing Director Sekou M. Dukuly told reporters after a port tour that crews cleared the ship at nearly 60 container moves an hour, a pace he cited as evidence of sharper efficiency at the Freeport.
“That berthing of that vessel also tells you that the marine pilot … is a Liberian pilot that piloted that vessel in,” Dukuly said. “Our people are smarter, they’re dedicated, the port is open 24 hours.”
He said container trade has grown from about 24 percent to more than 40 percent, driven by rising activity in construction, agriculture and commerce, and aligned with national growth projections of 5 percent to 6 percent.
Tied to the announcement, the NPA unveiled a commemorative publication on its reform agenda and post pandemic recovery, which Dukuly described as the start of a broader communications push. The agency plans bimonthly operational reports, a digital channel branded NPA TV, and a magazine launching next month. Officials said the platforms are meant to build public confidence and keep stakeholders informed.
“This administration has been one of the friendliest administrations to the media,” Dukuly said, thanking journalists for their scrutiny. “We appreciate the cooperation, the partnership, and the tough questions, holding us accountable.”
Dukuly framed the gains as part of a master plan to reposition Liberia’s maritime sector. “When we got here, we did our master plan,” he said. “We set the stage for the strategic repositioning of our country, our economy.”
A central priority is dredging the Freeport harbor back to its 15 meter design depth, now reduced to about 11 meters by silt buildup. Dukuly said talks are set this week in the United Arab Emirates and Nigeria to advance the dredging and to conclude reviews of the APM Terminals concession. The authority is also weighing a split of general cargo from container handling, a move it hopes could draw a second port operator.
While welcoming higher imports, Dukuly pressed the need to lift exports for a more balanced trade profile, pointing to rubber, agriculture and timber. He also pledged continued spending on staff. “We’re going to invest in the ones that we have,” he said.
The managing director underscored the port’s weight in the economy. “God forbid something happens to the port, it’s shut down, the entire country is shut down,” he said. The NPA supports a trade network valued at about US$5 billion and employs nearly 2,000 Liberians.
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