The operator of the Freeport of Monrovia, APM Terminals Liberia, has donated a set of 15 computers to business associations at the Port.
The beneficiary groups are the Custom Brokers Association, the Fula Business Association and the Liberia Business Association.
The donation forms part of efforts by the company to assist port stakeholders with the requisite tools and technical knowledge needed to accelerate the port automation and digitization (PAD) project, being rolled out by the company together with the National Port Authority (NPA) and the Liberian Revenue Authority (LRA).
Members from the beneficiary associations do business at the Port on a daily basis and interface with the new port automation system. These new computers will assist them not only to become familiarized with the process of seamless and paperless transactions but deliver faster customer service to them at the Freeport of Monrovia.
Presenting the items to the leadership of the associations, Managing Director of APM Terminals Liberia, Clay Crain, said APM Terminals Liberia views these associations as key partners in Liberia’s port digitization agenda and, hence, the decision to retool them with the resources needed to help ease the process.
“As you are all aware, since last year APM Terminals Liberia, together with the National Port Authority and the Liberia Revenue Authority, began a new phase of doing business at the port with the introduction of the port automation and digitization agenda, intended to transition us from paper-based transactions to paperless transactions. We have been in consultation with you throughout the process, and we are grateful for your cooperation so far as we work together to make the project succeed. This is a signal of our continued commitment to you on this project, and it is our hope that it helps you become more efficient for faster customer delivery service here at the port,” Crain said.
Receiving the items on behalf of their various associations, James Hinneh, President of the Custom Brokers Association, thanked APM Terminals Liberia for the gesture. He highlighted how the computers will assist the members of the various associations process their transactions faster and help deepen the port’s digitization agenda.
“We appreciate this gesture and cannot wait to put these new computers to good use. We believe it is in our collective interest to ensure that we collaborate with each other to improve the ease of doing business here at the Freeport of Monrovia,” James Hinneh said.
Witnessing the donation were officials and staff of APM Terminals Liberia and representatives of the beneficiary associations.
APM Terminals Liberia last year launched the Port Automation and Digitization (PAD) project intended to usher the Freeport of Monrovia into a new era of paperless transactions. Together with the NPA and LRA, the process began with broad stakeholder consultations and workshops, resulting in an effective operational framework for the take-off of the program.
Despite initial challenges, as is common with all new initiatives, the company has continued to work with all stakeholder groups on measures to strengthen the process.
