Grimaldi’s Record Exonerates SLPHA

By Abdul Rahman Bah

The Sierra Leone Ports and Harbours Authority has firmly dismissed Nigerian media reports suggesting that a container linked to Sierra Leone was discovered with cocaine at a port in Nigeria. According to the Authority, no official notice, alert, or request for verification has been received from the Nigeria Ports Authority, making the circulating claims unsubstantiated. To address the matter formally, SLPHA has written directly to its Nigerian counterpart seeking verified and authoritative information, and is now awaiting an official response.

SLPHA underlined that the container at the heart of the allegations GCNU1332851, was handled transparently and according to international standards. The global shipping line in charge of the container, Grimaldi, has already confirmed that the container departed Freetown entirely empty. Their Lagos office further verified that it was received at the PTML terminal in the same empty condition. This confirmation directly contradicts rumours in Nigeria suggesting that the container carried illicit substances.

For clarity and public assurance, the Authority provided a full account of the container’s movements. The 20-foot dry container arrived in Freetown on 13 September 2025 aboard the vessel ‘Grande Atlantico’. It was delivered full to its consignee on 8 October, and returned empty to the Freetown Terminal three days later, on 11 October. An inspection by crew members of the ‘Grande Ghana 0225’ on 24 October reconfirmed that the container was empty before they sealed it and prepared it for loading. The recorded weight, 2,200 kilograms, aligned exactly with that of a standard empty container, indicating no irregularities.

The vessel departed Freetown on 24 October on its scheduled route to Lagos, with Cotonou included in the itinerary. Every step of the container’s handling in Sierra Leone followed routine procedures, with no signs of tampering or unusual activity.

Further clarity came from operational data in Lagos. Grimaldi’s records show that the vessel berthed on 29 October at 23:38. Offloading operations began at 00:40 on 30 October, and the container was discharged completely empty at 13:00 the same day. The ship finished its entire cargo operation by 31 October at 19:00. Significantly, the container was only flagged on 7 November, eight days after it had already been discharged. This gap in time, SLPHA noted, demonstrates that any development after discharge falls outside the oversight or responsibility of Sierra Leone’s port system.

SLPHA reaffirmed that its handling of the container was consistent, transparent, and free from any questionable activity. It emphasized its dedication to protecting the integrity of Sierra Leone’s maritime operations, especially at a time when speculative reporting can easily damage reputations and disrupt international cooperation. The Authority continues to follow the situation closely and expects formal clarification from Nigerian authorities to prevent misinformation from gaining further traction.

The statement concluded with SLPHA assuring the public that it remains committed to international shipping standards, operational accountability, and safeguarding the credibility of Sierra Leone’s port infrastructure in the face of cross-border speculation.