High Port Charges Spark Senate Probe

By Lincoln G. Peters

MONROVIA, Liberia, October 27, 2026: The Liberian Senate has summoned major port operators and government agencies to explain mounting complaints of excessive cargo clearing fees and prolonged delays at the Freeport of Monrovia, amid concerns that the situation is driving up consumer prices and hurting local businesses.

The decision followed a communication from Gbarpolu County Senator Amar M. Konneh, who raised concerns Tuesday over what he described as persistent operational inefficiencies and high transaction costs affecting importers, particularly Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

In his communication to Plenary, Senator Konneh disclosed that containers destined for Liberia reportedly spend more than 30 days at sea before berthing at the Freeport of Monrovia.

According to him, importers and shipping agents have complained that vessels are frequently diverted to ports in neighboring Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, allegedly because of inadequate container yard space and delays in dredging the Freeport’s basin and navigation channel.

“These delays are severely hurting business inventories, tying up working capital, leading to stock-outs, and imposing heavy demurrage costs,” Konneh stated.

The former Finance and Development Planning Minister also questioned what he described as multiple and opaque charges imposed by APM Terminals, MEDTECH, Global Tracking and Maritime Solutions (GTMS), and other service providers operating within the port’s supply chain.

He argued that the additional costs are ultimately passed on to consumers, contributing to persistently high commodity prices despite improvements in Liberia’s macroeconomic indicators.

Konneh noted that although headline inflation has reportedly declined to 4.6 percent and the Liberian dollar has strengthened against the United States dollar, consumer prices remain high.

He suggested that inefficiencies at the Freeport could be undermining gains made under the government’s macroeconomic stabilization program supported by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

“These issues, if not urgently addressed, will continue to undermine private sector competitiveness, discourage investment, and erode the purchasing power of ordinary Liberians,” he warned.

Senator Konneh subsequently requested the appearance of the National Port Authority (NPA), APM Terminals Liberia, MEDTECH Scientific Limited, GTMS, Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and representatives of the Customs Brokers Association of Liberia.

He said the hearing would establish the status of port dredging, vessel berthing capacity, container storage limitations, applicable fees, and measures being taken to reduce congestion and transaction costs.

Following deliberations, the Senate Plenary endorsed the request and summoned the institutions to appear before its Committee of the Whole next Tuesday to provide explanations and propose solutions.

The summoned institutions have not yet presented their responses to the allegations before the Senate.

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