Summary
Content
Content
- Port
- Authority: National Port Authority (NPA), Bushrod Island, Monrovia.
- Working Hours
- Tides/Winds
- Approach
- Anchorage
- Pilotage
- Towage
- Accomodation
- Handling Equipment
- Fuel storage
Location: 06 20N 10 49W
Admiralty Chart: 2476
Admiralty Pilot: 1
Time Zone: GMT
UNCTAD Locode: LA MLW
Port
Monrovia is an artificial harbour protected by two rock breakwaters extending 1.25 miles into the sea ensuring 750 acres of protected water.
There is one turning basin with a depth of approximately 14m.
The port enjoys Freeport status. In the free zone cargo can be stored in transit, free of duty, pending re-export to other West African states.
Authority: National Port Authority (NPA), Bushrod Island, Monrovia.
Main contact points within the NPA are:
| Name | Title | Contact |
| Joe Touah | Managing Director | |
| John Smythe | Deputy Managing Director, Administration | +377 47 515 050/510 902 smythe_64@yahoo.com |
| Vivian Cooke | Deputy Managing Director, Operations | +377 47 512 266 |
| Samuel Dahn | Comptroller | +377 47 551188 |
| Romeo Clark | Port Manager | + 377 47 513 534 |
| James Poboe | Technical Manager | +377 47 513 536 |
| Julius Gooding | Port Operations Manager | +37 47 513 526 |
| Emmanuel Horton | Pier Superintendent | +377 47 521 662 |
| Seth Johnson | Electrical superintendent | +377 47 520 417 |
| Joyce Reeves-Woods | Deputy Technical Manager | +377 47 515 607joycereeveswoods@yahoo.com |
| Augustine Citie | Deputy Port Operations Manager | +377 47 513 613/ 514 851 |
| Alphonso Dossen | Deputy Pier Superintendent | +377 47 514 839 |
| Mohammed Kromah | Deputy Logistics Manager | No phone at present |
| Robert Fayah | Marine Engineer | +377 47 518 906 |
| Cpt Williams | Harbour Master a.i | +337 47 557 343 |
| Cpt Baci | Pilot | +377 47 518 511 |
Security at the Port is overseen by ECOMIL. The Port Commander is Navy Captain Akinwade (Nigeria), +377 47 530 198. ECOMIL carry out on board security checks on incoming vessels.
Working Hours
Monday to Friday: 0800 – 1600 (Operations), - 1700 (Administration)
Saturday 0800 – 1200
Sunday and holidays 0800 – 1200 at overtime rates
Tides/Winds
Prevailing winds W to SW.
Tides rise and fall 0.61 – 1.19m
Approach
Approach channel 2438m long and 152.4m wide dredged to 14.93m at MLW. Channel inside breakwaters to the turning basin 14.32m at MLW. Approach to ore piers 13.71m at MLW
Anchorage
Recommended anchorage is up to 1 nautical mile from the south of the buoyed channel, depth 14 to 19m, which provides good holding ground on a sand and mud bottom. Vessels are not anchored within the inner harbour except for a very short period of time.
Pilotage
Compulsory. Daylight hours only (aids to navigation unlit). Since the recent conflict there have been no radio communications at the Port, however procurement of VHF is being investigated. Once radio is present, communication will be on VHF channel 16.
Towage
Compulsory at discretion of pilot. Tugboat ‘Bushrod Island’ of 2 x 1740hp.
Accomodation
Monrovia Freeport has four piers and one main wharf. Three of the wharf’s four berths are operational, while the capsized vessel Torm Alexandra occupies the fourth.
The capacity of the LMC pier is currently reduced due to the presence of the embargoed vessel Aqua Sierra on its south side. Attempts are underway to gain authorisation from the Liberian courts to tow the vessel to another location within the port in order to maximise available space.
Dimensions
| Pier/Wharf | Length (m) | Width (m) |
| General Cargo Wharf | 609 | 10.97 (concrete deck) |
| Bmc Pier | 270 | 12.5 |
| Lmc Pier | 278.35 | 13 |
| Mano Pier | 365 | 6 |
| Bunker Pier | 420 | 10 |
Soundings (as of 15.10.01)
| Pier/Wharf | Harbour Basin (m) |
| General Cargo Wharf | 9.1-10 |
| Bmc Pier | 13-14.5 |
| Lmc Pier | 9-10 |
| Mano Pier | 11-12 |
| Bunker Pier | 10.5-11 |
Elevations Above Main Low Water (MLW), Spring Tide
| Pier/Wharf | Elevation Above MLW (m) |
| General Cargo Wharf | 3.167 |
| Bmc Pier | 3.50 |
| Lmc Pier | 4.72 |
| Mano Pier | |
| Bunker Pier |
Handling Equipment
The following handling equipment is present at the Freeport. However, due to the recent conflict, much is now non operational. WFP and the United Sates Military Joint Task Force are currently in the process of procuring those spare parts necessary to reactivate the equipment.
| Equipment | Quantity |
| Tractors | 10 |
| Log Loaders | 2 |
| Log Trailers | 4 |
| Top Lifters (36-42mt) | 4 |
| Empty Lifter (14mt) | 1 |
| Container Trailers (30mt) | 17 |
| Forklifts (1 – 3mt) | 11 |
| Cranes | 2 |
The two NPA cranes are a TEREX T160, and a DEMAG V70. The capacity of the DEMAG V70 is estimated at no more than 10mt SWL. The attributes of the TEREX T160 are outlined below:
| Maximum Reach (‘) | Load Radius (‘) | Angle (degrees) | Load (mt) |
| 115 | 25 | 78 | 12 |
| 115 | 65 | 55 | 5 |
| Maximum Reach (‘) | Load Radius (‘) | Angle (degrees) | Load (mt) |
| 26.5 | 25 | 36 | 24 |
| 26.5 | 10 | 68 | 54.4 |
Fuel storage
The NPA fuel station inside the port has a capacity of 5,500 gallons of diesel (1 x 2,500 gallon tank, 1 x 3,000 gallon tank), and 4,000 gallons of gasoline (1 x 4,000 gallon tank)