Over the weekend, the NPA and several industrial and mining private port user companies signed the MoU on oil spill response preparedness.
By Lincoln G. Peters
Monrovia, November 11, 2024: Liberia’s National Port Authority (NPA) has taken a giant step to address the health and safety of port users and citizens across the country.
The NPA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) over the weekend to provide the framework for a coordinated national oil spill effort.
The NPA signed the MoU on oil spill response preparedness in conjunction with the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC), the Liberia Martine Authority (LiMA), and several industrial and mining private port user companies.
The term of the MoU is an initial one year and may be modified by mutual consent.
The Act repealing and adopting Chapter Six of the Public Authority Law authorizes the NPA to manage all national port facilities across the country.
On the other hand, the Private Sector represents and warrants that it is duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of Liberia and hereby expressly and irrevocably waives any immunity in any jurisdiction in respect of the MoU or matter arising hereunder, including any obligation or liability.
The elaborate signing ceremony was held in the NPA conference room.
It brought together dozens of private port users, including GVL, Srimex, Equatorial Palm Oil, AML, Bea Mountain, Western Cluster, Mira Gas, Society for the Conservation of Nature, APM Terminals, Conex, LPRC and the Ministry of Defense Cost Guard. All of these institutions separately signed the MoU.
The signing of the MoU seeks to establish a framework for sharing response, technical expertise, personnel, and equipment to enhance collective response capabilities to tackle incidental and operational spills.
Furthermore, the MoU aims to formalize the cooperation between the parties and other stakeholders, including environmental organizations, to prepare for response.
It also aims to mitigate the impact of the oil spills and noxious liquid substances within the port area.
Giving his official remake, the National Port Authority Managing Director, Mr. Sekou A. M. Dukuly, provided the role of the NPA within the agreement.
Mr. Dukuly extolled the parties for committing to the MoU and described it as a step to collectively address health safety and well-being.
According to him, with the MoU signed, the NPA’s responsibilities are to ensure coordination, collaboration, and cooperation among the private sectors by facilitating training and preparedness exercises for the oil response.
“With this MoU, the NPA will provide the necessary port facilities and infrastructure for oil spill response and ensure that all legal and regulator framework is in place to support incident response by providing a framework for the management of oil spill poll fund,” he concluded.
Speaking on behalf of the Private Sector, LPRC Managing Director Mr. Amos Tweh committed the private sector to the agreement.
He termed it as a game-changing approach to addressing health measures.
“Within this MoU, the private sector responsibilities are to participate in oil spill response preparedness activities including training and simulations and provide the necessary resources, expertise, and equipment to assist in oil response.”
“Also, we will collaborate with NPA and other relevant authorities during [the] oil spill incident and ensure compliance with environmental standards and safeguard the shorelines and maritime domain,” Mr. Tweh concluded.
