Maritime Stakeholders’ Meeting Issues Communique on Liberia -Prepares Sector for the IMO Mandatory Audit 

MONROVIA – At the end of a One-Day High-Level Meeting among Stakeholders of the Maritime Sector on Preparing Liberia for the IMO Mandatory Audit Scheme has ended with a Communiqué on the outcome of the National Maritime Stakeholders meeting for the establishment of the National Maritime Committee and the adoption of the National Maritime Strategy

According to the Communiqué, Liberia has ratified the SOLAS, Marpol, COLREG, STCW, and ITC, as amended and accepted to be audited through IMO member state audit scheme to assess the effectiveness of Liberia’s implementation and enforcement of these conventions, noting that the IMO instruments implementation Code (iii Code) calls for Member States to develop an overall strategy to meet its international obligations and responsibilities as a flag, port and coastal State.

The document also recognized that the Liberia Maritime Authority is the principal governmental agency for the implementation of IMO instruments, and the enforcement of these instruments requires multi-agency efforts, and the different roles needed to be played by each government agency, and recalled that the Liberia Maritime Authority Act calls for collaboration, coordination, and consultation with various government parietals.

The actors which include the Ministry of National Defense (specifically the Coast Guard), the Ministry of Justice ( police, Immigration, and other relevant law enforcement agencies), the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning(Customs), the National Port Authority (NPA) and the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) have engaged in activities related to the maritime sector which exist or may be established in the future, with a view to working together to promote the country’s social and economic development associated with or growing out of the national maritime, marine and related programs and activities.

The Communiqué specified that they have engaged in activities related to the maritime sector which exist or may be established in the future, with a view to working together to promote the country’s social and economic development associated with or growing out of the national maritime, marine and related programs and activities.

The Communiqué desires to create a single, coherent framework and structure for cooperation and collaboration among all entities and institutions of the maritime sector of Liberia, mindful of the country’s position as a major ship registry which requires Liberia to ensure effective enforcement of international maritime instruments.

The document signed by Maritime Commission and Chief Executive Officer Lenn Eugene Nagbe emphasizes the need to establish an institutional framework in the form of a National Maritime Committee to monitor and assess that the Strategy ensures effective implementation and enforcement of relevant international mandatory instruments; and continuously review the Strategy to achieve, maintain and improve the overall organizational performance and capability as a flag, port and coastal State.

It stresses the importance of the Audit and the urgency to take immediate action to establish the National Maritime Committee and adopt the National Maritime Strategy, urging all Stakeholders to allocate the needed resources to invest in systems, equipment, and infrastructure and build human capacity to implement and enforce international conventions to which Liberia is a party.

To accord due respect to the IMSAS Consultant and provide the support needed to help each entity achieve its audit goals, the Communiqué said the  Stakeholders of the Maritime Sector have exhaustively discussed the agenda items which include the establishment of the National Maritime Committee and the adoption of the National Maritime Strategy of Liberia.

“Issue this communiqué on this 24th day of February of the year 2023 committing our respective entities to fully cooperate and collaborate in preparing Liberia for the IMO Mandatory Audit Scheme,” the document concluded.