Key port information can also be found at the following links:

Maritime Database information on Liberia

National Port Authority of Liberia

Port Overview

The port of Harper is the smallest of the four sea ports in Liberia. The port is about 9.23 acres in size. The administrative building and the workshop are located at the south-eastern end of the port, the operations department is at the south- western part, while the pier is located at the north of the port. The port has a 100 meters long re–enforced concrete pier with an available water depth of 5.5 meters (at high tide) on both sides.

Port Pictures

Damaged Pier                                         Damaged Warehouse                             Administration Building                        Container Field

Description and Contacts of Key Companies

Port is currently being used to import food stuffs and construction materials from Monrovia. The port exports teak and rubber to Buchanan.

For more information on port contacts, please see the following link: 4.4 Port and Waterways Companies Contact List.

Port Performance

Harper Port was established for exporting oil palm, rubber, and timber while at the same time importing machinery, building materials, petroleum products and other consumable goods to serve the people of south-eastern Liberia. However, since the civil war, these activities are no longer effective or functional. Presently, Harper Sea Port is now solely engaged in container movement and other general cargo handling for humanitarian services. Harper Port is virtually dormant with limited activities and is occupied with dilapidated buildings and old containers placed in the open field.

The port has:

• Draft limitation and it needs dredging,
• no storage facility and limited berthing facilities
• Therefore can only accommodate vessels with maximum draft of 5.5M.
• Presently there is no multipurpose vessel there by leading to no tug and pilot services at Harper Port.

There is no time wasted as vessels come and go at will. 

• Dredging is urgently required.
• Open storage is available.
• There is one conventional berth at this location.
• There are no navigational aids however fishing canoes are used to guide captains arriving for their first time to Harper.

The Port of Harper handled approximately 7000 MT in 2019.

Discharge Rates and Terminal Handling Charges

N/A

Berthing Specifications

There is only one conventional berth in Harper Port, measuring 100 m in length with a maximum draft of 5.5 m.

General Cargo Handling Berths

There is only one conventional berth in Harper Port.

Port Handling Equipment

Harper Sea Port is owned by the Liberian Government and managed by the National Port Authority (NPA).  Presently the Harper Sea Port lacks the requisite port handling equipment that are needed for the day to day operation of the port. Additionally, there is no container terminal available as containers are exposed to the salt wind in the open field.

Container Facilities

No container terminal facility at Harper Sea Port. Containers are exposed in the open field at the port.

Customs Guidance

In the past, Customs appraised and examine Cargo before NPA delivered it to the consignees after the required payments had been carried out. Currently, Customs services are not yet available in the Harper Sea port. Meanwhile, NPA is conducting all the affairs of the Harper Port. Customs Officials and processes are available in Harper. However, not used by the port as all the traffic is domestic.

For information on Liberia Port customs guidance, please see the following link: 1.3 Liberia Customs Information

Terminal Information

Multipurpose Terminal

There is no multipurpose terminal at Harper Port.

Grain and Bulk Handling

Currently not available at the port. 

Main Storage Handling

The open-air storage area is 1050 m².

Stevedoring

Casual labourers are employed by the Logic Marine Agency, who are also used for handling teak.

Hinterland Information

Goods leave the port by means of local transport such as trucks and other vehicles.

Port Security

Security is managed by the Liberian Sea Port Police.

 

Key port information can also be found at the following links:

Maritime Database information on Liberia

National Port Authority of Liberia

Port Overview

APM Terminals has constructed a 600-meter quay at the Freeport of Monrovia with a 50-year warranty. The quay project costs US $50 million and is in compliance with the Concession Agreement signed with the Liberian Government. The commencement of a US $34.5 million terminal modernization program, which is expected to be completed in 23 months, will include safety features, a new Administration and Operations building, yard pavement, new cargo gates, real time updates of container movements; a conventional drainage system; a biometric access control system, a closed circuit television system and a GPS base container location system. When completed, the terminal will have a storage capacity of over 10,000 TEUs. During the construction period, the existing container stacking area will become more compressed, resulting in block-stacking of containers and increased yard density. APM Terminals Liberia’s import cargo volume has increased by 33 per cent as of the first half of 2015 compared with the same period in 2014. The reduced yard space resulting from the construction and the recent surge in volumes, will undoubtedly adversely affect their service delivery during the course of the project.

Port Picture

Description and Contacts of Key Companies

The main company is APM Terminals which manages the container and bulk terminal. The landowner is the National Port Authority.

For information on Liberia port contact details, please see the following link:  4.4. Port and Waterways Company Contact List

Port Performance

The Port of Monrovia is the gateway to Liberia and its capital city, where 90% of the country’s economic activity takes place. APMT is planning to double the actual capacity of the port by introducing new equipment such as a modern terminal operating system and a terminal accounting system. The port currently is not congested and there is no established priority for humanitarian cargo.

Discharge Rates and Terminal Handling Charges

It is recommended to contact APMT directly for any inquiry on charges and rates. However, the charges applicable by APMT can be found in Annex I: Tariffs of APM Terminals Liberia Ltd.

Berthing Specifications

There is only one newly constructed quay of 600 m long available in the terminal and which is divided to 3 sections or berths (1, 2 and 3). The silo berth is usually n. 1, the container berth is n.2 because it is in the middle and the 3^rd berth is used as the conventional berth. In case of need, any berth can be used for other purposes than here before indicated. The port is not provided with fixed shore cranes and therefore all vessels calling the port must be prepared to operate with their own crane.

General Cargo Handling Berths

Port Handling Equipment

The port equipment is managed privately by APM Terminal. In addition to the equipment here below, the Terminal has 2 empty handlers of a capacity of 10 mt each. 

 

Container Facilities

The container facility is composed of the quay, container yard and a building for the APMT administration.

 

Customs Guidance 

There is a customs office at the port and outside the terminal. All the relevant documents concerning any shipment should be finalised by the Customs before the arrival of the ship at the port.

Shipping & Clearing Procedures

STEP A:

1. Arrange shipment of cargo through a reputable shipping company or freight forwarder.

2. Obtain and transmit the original Bill of Lading and invoice to the consignee before the cargo arrives.

3. Contact BIVAC at the port of origin to arrange for pre-inspection. The consignee will be given a CRF (Clean Report of Finding) certificate.

 

STEP B1: CARGO WITH PRE-SHIPMENT INSPECTION (PI)

1. Take a copy of the pre-inspection report (or CRF), the Bill of Lading and the invoices to the Ministry of Commerce counter for IPD (Import Permit Declaration) processing and to BIVAC for inspection approval. (For Freeport of Monrovia customers, visit the One-Stop-Shop in the Freeport of Monrovia).

2. Proceed to the Bank Section for Payment Slip and make a payment at the Central Bank for government duties, and the private bank for terminal and port charges.

3. Proceed to the In-Gate office for logging of documents, to the Collector’s Office for approval and sealing, and the Wharfing Section for manifest closure.

4. Proceed to the cargo yard, where your container or non-containerized cargo can be inspected by the clearing agent/broker and loaded for inland transport to final destination.

STEP B2: CARGO WITHOUT PRE-SHIPMENT INSPECTION / OR DESIGNATION INSPECTION (DI) 

1. Follow Step BI, 1 through 3. 

2. Cargo is transported from the cargo yard to the BIVAC yard for scanning and x-ray for verification against the items declaration list; Cargo or container is then relocated to cargo yard.

3. Proceed to the cargo yard, where your container or non-containerized cargo can be inspected. 

Moreover, to send and clear goods through the NPA, customers work in tandem with their shipping line and the One Stop Shop in the Freeport of Monrovia to obtain documents needed for clearance and to pay duties and port charges. The One-Stop-Shop is a clearing house with the mandate to assist all importing and exporting customers with cargo clearing in a central location. It consists of the BIVAC, Central Bank, two commercial banks, Customs and APM Terminals. The One-Stop-Shop was launched in 2009 in collaboration with the NPA, the Government of Liberia and international development partners in an effort to reduce barriers to trade. With the strategic location of all relevant agents in one place, the steps to clear goods from the Freeport of Monrovia have reduced dramatically.

For information on Liberia Port customs guidance, please see the following link: 1.3 Liberia Customs Information

Terminal Information

There are no facilities at the port for grain and bulk handling and there are no companies available for bagging. To note that there are 4 grabs for grain that the APM Terminal can facilitate during the offloading of grains if requested.

Main Storage Terminal

The main storage area in the Terminal is the yard for the containers which is around 10 hectares. There are no storage facilities in the Terminal for general cargo, bagged or bulk if not containerized.

Stevedoring