In a deepening maritime cooperation between Liberia and China, the Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the Liberia Maritime Authority (LiMA), Cllr. Neto Zarzar Lighe Sr., held a high-level meeting on Tuesday with senior executives of Shanghai Maritime University (SMU) on the sidelines of the prestigious North Bund Forum in Shanghai.
The meeting brought together key SMU officials, including Chairman of the University Council, Song Baoru; University President, Chu Beiping; and Vice President, Yin Ming, among others. Discussions focused on expanding collaboration in maritime education, training, and technology exchange.
According to a statement from LiMA, both sides explored the establishment of scholarship opportunities for young Liberians to study at SMU in critical maritime fields such as Nautical Science, Marine Engineering, Port and Shipping Management, and Maritime Law and Policy.
The parties agreed to develop a structured framework for application, selection, and sponsorship-placing emphasis on merit and gender inclusivity.
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Additionally, the talks covered capacity-building initiatives for professionals from LiMA and the Liberia Maritime Training Institute (LMTI). SMU pledged its readiness to deliver short-term courses, technical workshops, and internships designed to enhance the technical expertise and operational competence of Liberia’s maritime workforce.
A key outcome of the discussions was a decision to pursue a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will guide long-term cooperation in areas such as curriculum sharing, provision of simulation equipment, faculty exchange, joint research, and access to e-learning platforms. SMU also committed to providing technical assistance to help upgrade LMTI’s training capacity in accordance with International Maritime Organization (IMO) standards.
To ensure effective implementation, both parties agreed to establish a joint working group tasked with finalizing the cooperation framework. The signing of the MoU is slated for the first week of December 2025.
This landmark partnership is expected to strengthen Liberia’s maritime education and training capacity, positioning the country as a progressive and competitive maritime nation in the global shipping industry.
