By By: Staff Writer
The Commissioner/CEO of the Liberia Maritime Authority (LiMA), Cllr. Neto Zarzar Lighe Sr., on July 8, 2026, stormed the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Headquarters in London for a high-level meeting with IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez — a move aimed at protecting and growing Liberia’s multi-billion dollar shipping business.
Why does this meeting matter? Liberia owns the world’s largest ship registry — over 5,800 vessels, more than 16% of the world’s ocean-going fleet. That flag brings in millions in annual revenue, sustains jobs, and puts Liberia in the same boardroom as China, Panama, and Greece. To keep that empire, Liberia must stay tight with IMO, where global shipping rules are made.
In the closed-door talks on the sidelines of the 137th IMO Council Session, Lighe assured Dominguez that Liberia will continue to maintain the highest standards of maritime governance, implement all IMO conventions, and champion cleaner, safer, and more innovative shipping.
Sources at the meeting say both leaders also discussed how Liberia can benefit from green shipping transition, maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea, and new technologies to make shipping more efficient.
But the biggest play? Lighe officially invited Secretary-General Dominguez to visit Monrovia. If he accepts, it will be the first visit of its kind in years and could unlock new technical cooperation, training, and investment for Liberia’s maritime sector.
This is not just diplomacy — it’s business. And Liberia is making it clear: The world’s biggest flag is not for sale, it’s for growth.
