By: Emmanuel M. Kangar, Jr.
The port modernization partnership deal with Tanger Med sealed by the current management team of the National Port Authority is a strategic turning point that could boost trade, improve and expand port infrastructure, and create sustained employment opportunities for Liberians.
A leading Moroccan magazine, Moroc Diplomatique, revealed the prospect of the deal between Tanger Med and Liberia in clear terms, “This is a silent but strategic turning point for the Liberian economy: through the signature of a large-scale agreement with Tangier Med Engineering, a technical subsidiary of the Moroccan port group Tangier Med, Liberia is undertaking a profound transformation of its port infrastructure to rehabilitate its two major terminals — Monrovia and Buchanan — to align them with the logistics and technological standards of the 21st century.”
The milestone, which is expected to modernize port facilities in Liberia and enhance productivity through technology, is an offspring of many months of shared vision, hard work, and strategic cooperation that align with President Joseph Nyumah Boakai’s national agenda for inclusive development (ARREST).
The recent partnership with Tanger Med is poised to leverage technical expertise aimed at rethinking Liberia’s port architecture with emphasis on advanced engineering and logistics. Tanger Med’s expertise encompasses six areas: modernization of docks, renovation of container terminals, repair of warehouses, introduction of intelligent logistics platforms, strengthening of port security devices, and adoption of ecological energy management solutions.
“This agreement goes well beyond the scope of an infrastructure project. This is an instrument of economic transformation,” said Mr. of Sekou Hussein Dukuly, the Managing Director of the National Port Authority. According to MD Dukuly, this modernization will contribute to create sustainable jobs, attract capital and strengthen the logistical sovereignty of the country.
Beyond expanding the container terminals of port facilities and improving their logistical capacity, the NPA-Tanger Med’s deal would enhance the digitization of customs and port procedures, better processing of goods flows, and a significant reduction in transit times. Such efficiency gains are expected to reposition Liberia as a leading logistics hub for the landlocked countries of the region, starting with Mali and Guinea, while solidifying the foundations of a still underdeveloped intra-African trade.
“This new partnership is PART of the continuity of a broader cooperation between Rabat and Monrovia. In November 2024, the NPA had already signed a protocol of’ agreement with Marsa Maroc for the exploitation of a multipurpose terminal in Monrovia and the complete rehabilitation of the port of Buchanan. This first milestone laid the foundations for a dynamic co-development structured around a public-private model, supported by a sharing of technical and institutional expertise.
Collaboration with Tangier Med Engineering is now a strategic extension, consolidating Morocco’s role as a reference partner for African countries in search of a logistical upgrade,” Moroc Diplomatique asserted in its report.
