We are in receipt of below Mandatory Compliance Notice from the Sierra Leone Port and Harbours Authority, and as below, we remind customers of the importance of 100% accurate seal information.
Please ensure that you and your customers understand that Grimaldi Group accepts no liability for any additional costs and/or fines due to failure to provide correct seal information any such costs will be passed back to Shippers.
Message sent as received…
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Mandatory Compliance Notice – Handling of Containers Arriving Without Seals
Dear All,
The Sierra Leone Ports and Harbours Authority (SLPHA) has observed an increasing number of containers arriving at our Port without seals, with damaged or tampered seals, or with seal numbers that do not match the documentation. As you are aware, ports worldwide face heightened security and safety risks, making strict adherence to international best practices essential to safeguarding operations and national security.
SLPHA wishes to draw your immediate attention to an important operational and security directive regarding the handling of such containers.
Effective immediately, please be advised:
- Non-Discharge of Unsealed Containers:
Any container arriving without a seal, with a broken seal, or with a seal number that does not match the manifest will not be discharged.
- Conditional Discharge Requirements:
Should a shipping line request discharge of such a container, the following conditions must be met:
- The container will remain onboard until a joint inspection is conducted by SLPHA, Customs, Port Security, the Terminal Operator, and the Shipping Line representative.
- The shipping line must provide a written statement accepting full responsibility for the missing or broken seal and any issues arising from the inspection.
- A penalty fee of USD 15,000 will be imposed on the shipping line for each container arriving without an intact seal prior to discharge. This fee must be paid in full to the SLPHA account before discharge authorization.
- Liability:
Shipping lines will be held fully liable for any cargo discrepancies, damages, or prohibited items discovered during investigations.
- Next Steps:
SLPHA and Customs will determine the appropriate course of action, which may include:
- Supervised discharge
- Full physical examination
- Re-sealing
- Re-exportation of the container
- Additional Costs:
Any additional costs or administrative charges resulting from seal discrepancies will be charged to the responsible shipping line.
This policy is essential to maintain the integrity of cargo at our Port, ensure compliance with global security standards, and minimize operational and reputational risks for all stakeholders.
For further clarification, please contact the SLPHA Port Operations Department.
We sincerely appreciate your cooperation and continued partnership.
Yankuba Askia Bio.
Director General
Sierra Leone Ports and Harbours Authority
Queen Elizabeth II Quay, PMB 386
Cline Town, Freetown-Sierra Leone
Mobile: +232 (76) 343733
Secured Email: ybio@slpa.sl
Personal Email: yankubamc@yahoo.com
