Maritime Security
With a coastline of 579 kilometers, two international sea boundaries and a maritime claim of 200 nautical miles, the protection of Liberia’s marine domain, including its ports, is of critical importance to the Government. As trade on the waterways increase in Liberia’s territorial area, thereby helping to boost the country’s economy, issues surrounding piracy, smuggling, stowaways, terrorism, customs, over-fishing and the exploitation of natural resources must be considered. The Bureau of Maritime Affairs (BMA) is therefore working with the appropriate international, regional and local entities to ensure the overall protection of Liberia’s marine domain.
For instance, as a Contracting Party to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), Liberia is required to implement the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code), which provides a consistent framework for governments and port authorities to achieve and maintain a “normal” security level and thereby reduce the vulnerability of the maritime industry. The BMA, as Designated Authority for implementation of the ISPS, is working in close collaboration with the National Port Authority to ensure that this comprehensive set of measures enhances the security of ships and port facilities in Liberia.
The country is also host of the regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) for the nations of Liberia, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Guinea and the Côte d’Ivoire. The MRCC is critical in coordinating and executing the search and rescue of people in distress at sea, thereby increasing the chances that those who find themselves in distress will be able to reach shore safely, and also strengthening the sub-region's measures on maritime security. The Liberia MRCC is being executed with support from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and in collaboration with Liberia’s Ministry of Defense, which is looking to re-activate the National Coast Guard.