Gov’t Pressures APM Terminals

By Jackson C. Clay, Jr.

The Government of the Liberia is said to be mounting serious pressure on APM Terminal to pay into government’s coffers revenue generated in the last two years of the expiration date of contract signed between the government and the company.


Super post Panamax cranes work the Emma Maersk at APM Terminals Algeciras Spain

APM Terminal is a foreign company that is currently managing the operation of the Marine Services at the National Port Authority (NPA) for the last five years or more.

The Marine Services operation is a major source of revenue generation for the National Port Authority (NPA).

Making the disclosure Thursday, April 26, 2018, Deputy Information Minister, Eugene Fahngon said the government would do all it can to ensure that APM Terminals pay the revenue generated in the expired tenure of the contract.

It can be recalled the management of the port, under the acting leadership of Madam Cecelia Cuffy Brown intensified demands to reclaim the Marine Services operations from APM Terminals.

This decision was reached Tuesday, April 24, 2018 following a meeting held with the Port Management team and the APM Terminals visiting CEO to Liberia held at the NPA head office on the Bushrod Island.

The NPA Management team is at the same time impressing upon APM Terminals to remit all revenues collected for operating the Marine Services during the expired tenure contained in the concession.

NPA Acting Boss Cecelia Cuffy Browne

The NPA acting boss reemphasized management’s position about reclaiming the marine services during the meeting and informed the APM Terminals Chief Executive Officer that the port is resolved on the matter.

Madam Cuffy Brown indicated that the NPA has officially communicated said decision to the Ministry of Justice and other relevant government ministries and agencies.

Madame Brown stated that the US$7 million being generated annually by APM Terminals through marine operations, with the port benefiting only US$4,000 robs the port of the needed revenue and further undermines government’s agenda to impact the lives of the poor.

APM Terminals has operated the marine services for seven years plus two extra beyond the five years in the agreement and has generated over US$38 million while the Liberian government through the port has only received US$28,000 out of this amount in royalty.

As part of the demand to reclaim the marine operations, the NPA Management has requested APM Terminals to remit the money they accrued in those two years into the Liberian Government’s account.

The NPA through a former communication has also requested APM Terminals to remit all funds accrued from marine operations to its covers as of April 2018 until final turnover of the marine operations.

However, David Skov, Chief Executive Officer and Regional Director of APM Terminals has agreed to send a team   of  “experts” to finalize plans for the official turning  over of the Marine Services back to the NPA.

Skov, along with his Commercial Manager Noah Sherriff and George Adyei, Managing Director have said APM Terminals is prepared to comply with the terms of the concession and work with the Port Management.

Also, in furtherance with revenue recovery plans by the current Port Management to enhance growth, improve infrastructure development and human capacity, the NPA has advanced efforts to regain operations of the weigh bridge at the Freeport of Monrovia.

Meanwhile, a team of NPA Personnel is currently being deployed for monitoring purposes at the weigh bridge which is another potential revenue strain for the port

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