Commissioner Lighe Holds Talks With Chinese Ambassador On Maritime Issues 

By Marie Willie 

MONROVIA. Oct. 22 (LINA) – The Commissioner of the Liberia Maritime Authority (LiMA), Cllr. Neto Zarzar Lighe Sr. has held a follow up meeting with the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China accredited to Monrovia, Yin Chengwu on the Liberia-China Maritime Agreement and the MoU signed between LiMA and Hohai University of China.

The meeting, which was held on Friday, October 18, 2024, at the Chinese Embassy near Monrovia also focused on components of the agreement that seek to initiate the smooth sailing of Liberian flagged vessels to China and providing capacity building in the form of scholarships to Liberian students and maritime professionals. 

It can be recalled in September 2024, Liberia and the People’s Republic of China signed an agreement to cooperate on maritime transport.

The statement added that the Agreement, signed in Beijing, on the sidelines of the FOCAC summit, aims to promote maritime and port development of both countries based on equality and mutual benefit.

The statement from LiMA added that the agreement also stipulates that vessels of both countries holding valid tonnage certificates that have been issued in compliance with the International Convention on the Tonnage Measurement of Ships and accepted by both countries shall not be re-measured in their respective ports. Liberian and Chinese vessels will enjoy most-favored nation treatment in the ports of both nations with respect to tonnage.

The two countries also agreed to provide mutual aid to their vessels and crew who may encounter danger at sea, and such rescue support shall be provided as though the countries are providing aid to their own vessels and crew.

The MOU with Hohai seeks to foster cooperation in maritime research and exchange. 

The statement revealed that the Chinese Envoy pledged his country’s commitment to those agreements and their contents for the good of both countries.