The Liberian Maritime Program was established in 1948 with strong support from the United States of America. In 1949, Liberia became a founding member of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and has over the years played a critical role in promulgating maritime safety, security and environmental protection. The Bureau of Maritime Affairs (BMA) administered the program under the supervision of the Ministry of Finance and later the Ministry of Transport. With the passage of Liberia Maritime Authority Act of 2010, the BMA then transitioned into the Liberian Maritime Authority (LiMA); a public corporation with greater responsibility of managing all commercial activities within the maritime domain of Liberia. The rational for this transition was to diversify the Authority’s activities from its long-standing focus of being a nation with a leading maritime shipping and corporate registry program, to a nation that strategically focuses on building and, or supporting enterprises across the domestic maritime domain for greater economic and social benefits to the Nation and its People.
The Liberian Maritime Program is currently recognised as the second largest ship registry in the world. Its activities are governed by the Liberia Maritime Laws [Title 21 of the Liberian Code of Laws revised], with a mandate to regulate all foreign and domestic waterborne commerce, enforce maritime treaties, including Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS); Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL); the Standards for Training, Certification and Watch-keeping for Seafarers (STCW) and the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC).
Hence, with over seven decades of international maritime presence, we are poised to fully explore the coastal resources and vast biodiversity that exists within our domestic maritime domain.
Mandate of the Authority
The Liberia Maritime Authority under the LiMA Act of 2010 is mandated to perform the following functions for and on behalf of the government of the Republic of Liberia:
- Administer, secure, promote, regulate, enforce, design, and execute policies, strategies, laws and regulations, plans and programs relating, directly and indirectly to the functioning, growth and development of the maritime sector, and national maritime awareness;
- Collaborate, coordinate, and consult with the Ministry of National Defense (specifically the Coast Guard), the Ministry of Justice (police, immigration and other relevant law enforcement agencies), the Ministry of Finance, (now Liberia Revenue Authority) (Customs), National Port Authority, the Ministry of Agriculture (Bureau of Fisheries), the National Oil Company of Liberia, the Ministry of Transport and other government institutions engaged in activities related to the maritime sector to collaborate in promoting the country's social and economic development associated with or growing out of the national maritime, marine and related programs and activities;
- Introduce and promote the enactment of national legislations in the exercise of the rights and discharge of the responsibilities of the Republic of Liberia under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982 and any other maritime related international conventions, agreements and instruments.