Liberia to develop shipping hub

A high-level meeting was held to discuss a transformative partnership aimed at establishing a state-of-the-art multi-user hub for shipbuilding, maintenance, and a fully integrated shipyard in the Ports of Monrovia and Buchanan between the Management of the National Port Authority (NPA) and the Make Group company in Korea.

Speaking at the opening of the meeting, NPA Managing Director Sekou A. M. Dukuly welcomed the delegation to the NPA and expressed his profound gratitude to them for choosing the NPA, the gateway to the Liberia economy to invest. Hon. Dukuly said, his administration is dedicated to transparency, accountability, and operational excellence, emphasizing, port development reforms will strengthen Liberia’s Maritime Sector and contribute to the government’s broader economic agenda.

“This investment, Mr. Dukuly underscored aligns perfectly with His Excellency President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s vision for building a resilient, inclusive economy that creates sustainable jobs and empowers our citizens,” remarked MD Dukuly. “We welcome MakeGroup Korea and assure them of our unwavering support throughout this important endeavor.”

For his part, the Chairman of MakeGroup company in Korea Mr. James Juhee Han, who was accompanied by a 10 men delegation, said they were in the country to explore avenues in the Maritime sector for development purposes. Chairman Han said his Makegroup intends to focus on establishing partnership with the NPA that will address port development and the provision of job and training opportunities for thousands of Liberians.

He said the envisioned development for Liberia represents a major milestone for Liberia’s maritime and industrial sectors. According to him, establishing a state-of-the-art multi-user hub in Liberia which is a value chain is expected to contribute significantly to the national economic growth—projected to boost the country’s GDP by an estimated 5%. In addition, it is poised to create over 3,000 direct jobs, signaling a substantial step toward employment generation and skills development for Liberians.

This transformative initiative when finalized is expected to commence within the next three months and will introduce a robust ship cycling program that will enhance the capacity and competitiveness of Liberia’s marine industry.

The NPA remains committed to advancing infrastructure, driving innovation, and opening new avenues of international collaboration to strengthen Liberia’s economic future.