Morocco Signs Deal to Modernize Liberia’s Major Ports

Morocco is further expanding its footprint in the African port sector with a new deal to modernize Liberia’s major ports. Last week, the Liberian National Port Authority (NPA) signed a modernization agreement with Tanger Med Engineering, a subsidiary of Tanger Med Group.

According to NPA, the deal marks the start of the full-scale implementation of a comprehensive master plan for the Freeport of Monrovia and the Port of Buchanan. For the last year, Liberia – in partnership with China – has been developing master plans for all its ports, including the Freeport of Monrovia and Buchanan. Liberia said the goal is to enable the ports to attract investors for their expansion.

The deal with Tanger Med Engineering will see NPA improve the efficiency and capacity of Monrovia and Buchanan ports, as envisaged in the master plans. This includes modernization of container terminals, cargo berths and warehousing zones, as well as deployment of smart logistics platforms.

In addition, Tanger Med Engineering will conduct dredging works to enhance the ports’ ability to accommodate larger vessels as trade volumes in Liberia surge. Notably, Liberia acts as a maritime gateway for landlocked Mali and parts of Guinea. NPA is keen to retain Liberia’s competitive edge, as the port sector in West Africa is changing fast with huge expansion initiatives in Ghana, Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, and Senegal.

National Milestone

“This agreement is more than an infrastructure project; it is a national milestone as Liberia begins the implementation phase of an ambitious port redevelopment plan. We are improving Liberia’s competitiveness along West African maritime corridor,” said NPA Managing Director Sekou Dukuly.

The deal is part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed last year between Liberia and Morocco on ports development. The partnership was between NPA and Marsa Maroc – a Moroccan port operator and a subsidiary of Tanger Med Group.

As part of its 2030 strategy, Marsa Maroc has been targeting key African ports. The operator is keen to expand its operations from its base in Morocco to become an international port developer. In January, Marsa Maroc registered two new subsidiaries – Marsa Djibouti and Marsa Benin – strengthening its position in the African logistics sector.

Marsa Djibouti will help the operator acquire a stake in Damerjog Oil Free Zone Establishment (FZE). This investment will see Marco Maroc enter the East African market. In addition, it will have access to Damerjog Industrial Free Zone, where Djibouti has proposed to build a mega oil and gas port capable of handling 13 million tons of cargo.

Marsa Benin is now operating Terminals 1 and 5 at the Port of Cotonou, after commencing operations in the country a month ago.

Top image: Port of Monrovia (file image courtesy blk24ga / CC BY 3.0)