Liberia to strengthen maritime cooperation with China

Liberia's maritime commissioner and chief executive officer Neto Zarzar Lighe has disclosed plans aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation in the maritime industry with China.

The disclosure signals a future where more Chinese vessels may sail under the Liberian flag. Statistics show that China's maritime transport constitutes over 25 percent of Liberia's total maritime registry.

Speaking at the Liberian Senate committee on maritime last week, Lighe said: "Liberia understands the importance of collaboration in the maritime industry, especially with a global major maritime player and new market like China, so what we intend to do is to continue to engage at the bilateral level."

The Liberian maritime chief pointed out that the country intention to attract more vessels from the rapidly expanding Chinese merchant fleet indicates the country's commitment to maintaining its status as a top player in the global shipping sector and as one of the world's largest ship registries.

Lighe explained that the ongoing crisis in the Red Sea is troubling for the maritime industry, as piracy and other crimes are being carried out by an armed gang, thus posing a serious challenge for the world's maritime sector.

"We at the Liberian maritime authority are concerned regarding the crisis in the Red Sea, because this is troubling for the entire world and our vessels sailing that route. The issue of piracy and other crimes being carried out by armed gangs is posing a serious challenge for the world's maritime industry", Lighe said.

Moreover, he explained that the Liberian maritime sector will also explore ways to improve its coastal and inland transport by allowing for investors to make investments into the sector.

Lighe noted that investors coming to the sector will be provided with various offers or advantages including favorable tax conditions and an established legal and regulatory framework for their investments.