Liberia Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in liberia, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Import Requirements and Documentation
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The National Port Authority (NPA) implements the Cargo Tracking Note/Advanced Cargo Declaration (CTN/ACD) system for shipments to any destination port, including transit through Liberia. This system is mandatory. Shipments without a valid CTN number will not be loaded or discharged. Therefore, shippers, exporters, and forwarders at various ports of loading around the world are required to obtain a validated Cargo Tracking Number (CTN) using the online platform and to submit the required shipping documents. Failure to obtain the CTN could result in additional fines in accordance with the NPA regulation, plus additional costs. The NPA also requires inspection through the exclusive pre-shipment provider Bureau Veritas or BIVAC, with such services costing 1.5 percent of the shipment’s value. Pre-shipment inspections are required for goods valued at US$3,500 and above. The penalty for importers who fail to complete the BIVAC pre-shipment inspection ranges from 10 percent to 30 percent of the shipment’s value. After clearing customs, importers present cost information to the MOCI for price approval.

The following products are exempt from import (customs) duties:

· Goods with a value below the threshold of US$1,000 free on board (FOB).

· A reasonable number of personal effects and household items.

· Supplies for diplomatic missions and United Nations organizations.

· Gold, precious stones, objects of art.

· Explosives, pyrotechnic products, arms, ammunition, weapons and implements of war imported by the Liberian Armed Forces and other security or law enforcement entities.

· Fresh fish caught by local Liberian fishermen.

· Goods imported by parcel post not exceeding US$1,000.

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Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

Limitations

As a beta product, the Chatbot is currently being tested and its responses may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information. The Chatbot is trained to decline out of scope or inappropriate requests. The Chatbot’s knowledge is limited to the public information on the Export Solutions web pages of Trade.gov, which covers a wide range of topics on exporting. While it cannot provide responses specific to a company’s product or a specific foreign market, its reference pages will guide you to other relevant government resources and market research. Always double-check the Chatbot’s responses using the provided references or by visiting the Export Solutions web pages on Trade.gov. Do not use its responses as legal or professional advice. Inaccurate advice from the Chatbot would not be a defense to violating any export rules or regulations.

Privacy

The Chatbot does not collect information about users and does not use the contents of users’ chat history to learn new information. All feedback is anonymous. Please do not enter personally identifiable information (PII), sensitive, or proprietary information into the Chatbot. Your conversations will not be connected to other interactions or accounts with ITA. Conversations with the Chatbot may be reviewed to help ITA improve the tool and address harmful, illegal, or otherwise inappropriate questions.

Translation

The Chatbot supports a wide range of languages. Because the Chatbot is trained in English and responses are translated, you should verify the translation. For example, the Chatbot may have difficulty with acronyms, abbreviations, and nuances in a language other than English.

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