By 
President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. on September 28, 2026, made a historic visit to the Virginia office of the Liberia International Ship and Corporate Registry (LISCR), where he received a comprehensive briefing on the performance and expansion of Liberia’s shipping registry.
President Boakai was received by senior officials of the Liberia Maritime Authority (LiMA), including Deputy Commissioner for Finance Emmanuel Nuku Reeves; Deputy Commissioner for Operations Cllr. Margarete Ansumana; Liberia’s Permanent Representative to the IMO Ambassador Robert Wilmot Kpadeh; and Deputy Commissioner for Vessel Registration Yvonne Clinton.
Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of LiMA, Cllr. Neto Zarzar Lighe Sr., briefed the President on the Registry’s operational achievements, growth trajectory, and strategic importance to Liberia’s position in the global maritime industry.
According to the briefing, the Liberian Shipping Registry remains the world’s largest ship registry, maintaining its lead over major competitors including Panama and the Bahamas. The Registry’s continued attraction of vessels from around the world was attributed to Liberia’s commitment to efficiency, quality standards and customer service.
Lighe described President Boakai’s visit as historic, noting that he is the first sitting Liberian President to visit the Virginia office.
“We express profound appreciation to His Excellency for making time in his busy schedule. This visit is a powerful demonstration of his personal commitment to Liberia’s maritime program and the importance his administration attaches to its growth and global competitiveness,” Lighe said.
The visit gave President Boakai firsthand insight into the Registry’s global operations, ongoing efforts to enhance service delivery, and strategies to sustain Liberia’s leadership in international shipping.
The President was accompanied by Liberia’s Ambassador to the United States Dr. Al-Hassan Conteh, National Security Advisor Samuel Kofi Woods, and Minister of State Without Portfolio Mamaka Bility.
The Presidency said the visit underscores the Boakai administration’s recognition of the maritime sector as a major pillar of national revenue, international engagement and economic development.
For decades, the Liberian flag has flown on thousands of vessels across the world’s oceans, making Liberia Africa’s leading maritime nation and a dominant force in global shipping. The Virginia visit, officials say, reaffirms Liberia’s resolve to protect and grow that vital national asset.
