The 8th Annual Conference of the Association of African Maritime Administrations (AAMA) is concluding today, after days of intensive deliberations, panel discussions, engagements and working sessions.
Since Tuesday, September 30, 2025, regional maritime stakeholders and international partners have been gathering at the EJS Ministerial Complex to discuss the complex challenges facing the maritime sector and finding amicable solutions to the matters.
The four-day conference is being held under the theme, “Safeguarding Our Ocean, Promoting Decarbonization in Shipping, Exploring Africa’s Blue Economy Potential”, with maritime administrators engaging in panel sessions on capacity development and training, gender and diversity, and sustainable shipping.
Strong emphasis has been made on the blue economy and opportunities for investment across Africa, as well as collaboration among maritime administrators, policymakers and stakeholders to strengthen regional and international cooperation.
During the event, several maritime authorities expressed interest in contesting various seats on the International Maritime Organization Council. While Liberia remained the only country from Africa contesting for a Category “A” seat, two African countries declared their candidacy for a seat in Category “C”: Nigeria and Kenya. Also, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, an outstanding partner and supporter of Liberia’s maritime sector, declared its candidacy for a Category “C” seat on the IMO Council.
However, it remains unclear who Liberia will support for the seat, but the Liberia Maritime Authority (LiMA) has solidified ties with several of the countries for mutual collaboration to strengthen the sector.
On the sidelines of the conference, Liberia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia agreed to establish a joint technical team to develop a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation, while Tanzania pledged to deepen ties with Liberia, particularly in areas such as information sharing, capacity building, and broader maritime cooperation.
Additionally, Liberia and Nigeria agreed to establish a joint technical team to identify and implement cooperative projects aimed at enhancing maritime capacities. Officials say the move could pave the way for knowledge exchange, joint training initiatives, and closer operational collaboration between West Africa’s two major maritime administrations.
Several other commitments and partnerships were sealed among maritime administrators, with the aim of strengthening Africa’s collective influence in the global maritime industry.
Meanwhile, the Liberia Maritime Authority (LiMA) said they have taken pride in hosting the 8th Annual Conference of the Association of African Maritime Administrations (AAMA), and expressed profound gratitude to all the delegates attending the conference for the meaningful progress and commitment toward advancing Africa’s leadership in global maritime affairs.
