By Abdul Kabia, Media and Customer Relations Officer-SLPA

As Sierra Leone Ports Authority Sets to decongest the Port & improve on Vessel turnaround time, the Deputy General Manager of the Sierra Leone Ports Authority Mr. Yankuba Askia Bio together with cross section of SLPA Management continue to engage stakeholders to reduce the emerging congestion challenges at the Freetown Port.

In his meeting of 1 July, 2020 with stakeholders in the Port operations, Mr. Bio said the Freetown Port has experienced delays in recent times in the Vessel turnaround time and congestion due to increase in the volume of cargoes coming in at the Port. He said SLPA is concerned about these developments and recommended the setting up of a Committee to look into the causes of congestion at the Freetown port.

In a follow-up meeting with stakeholders, therefore, Mr. Bio and cross section of SLPA Management on the 23rd July 2020 engaged stakeholders to discuss the Committee’s findings and challenges for the emerging congestion at the Freetown Port.

The following were identified: delays in completing documentation by Shipping Agents, packing of empty vehicles around the vicinity of the weighing bridge, breakdown of vehicles in the precincts of the Port, the proliferation of auction containers and containers for office purposes and lateness of some stakeholders’ in the Port operations to report for work among many others.

Following intensive monitoring exercise and deliberations, the following were resolved:  strict disciplinary measures be instituted against stakeholders’ officials who do not report for duty on time; checks to be done at the entrance points of the Port before entering of vehicle for loading or offloading; that there should be no loading without complete documentation; Port operators should ensure that Passes are renewed monthly; that Container’s seal should not be cut-off  in the absence of Custom officer(s) and that the following documents must be available before loading:  CVC, Delivery order, Packing List, Scanning Receipt and host of others.