Three officials of the Liberia United for Sustainable Development (LUSD) have disclosed that plans have been finalized to plant cassava on its 25 acres of farm land located in Kakata, Margibi County.
The leadership of the Independent Mano River Transport Union of Liberia (IMRTUL) has expressed thanks and appreciation to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for accepting and recognizing the IMRTUL operations in the country.
Mr. Mohamed Lavalie has reportedly become the first Liberian to earn a post graduate degree in Shipping and Port Management after he recently graduated from World Maritime University in Sweden.
Lavalie braved the storm and pursued professional career with Master of Science in Maritime Administration specializing in Shipping and Port Management, with extensive exposure of knowledge in modern maritime transport and administrative affairs.
Lavalie, a graduate of Ricks Institute High School in Liberia and holder of Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Liberia graduated from the World Maritime University in Malmo, Sweden with a Master of Science in Maritime Administration, with emphasis in Shipping and Port Management on Sunday, December 2nd, 2012.
He is the first Liberian in Liberia Maritime history to specialize in both shipping and port Management unlike his previous Liberian graduates in maritime affairs who either specialized in shipping or Port Management. His graduation brings to 26 the total number of Liberia World Maritime University graduates.
During the course of his studies, Lavalie traveled extensively on field trips for practical knowledge to Asia and Europe.
In particular, he visited the Republic of Singapore at the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) of Singapore, the world second largest container handling terminal in Germany, the world largest automated terminal in Hamburg, (the Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA) and Hapag-Lloyd Shipping) among others.
Furthermore, Lavalie visited Kalmar, one of the world's leading Cargo Handling Equipment Manufacturer and Supplier in Sweden, the producer of the famous Kalmar reach stacker and folk lift.
In addition, Lavalie visited the Baltic International Maritime Council (BIMCO) in Copehengan, Denmark, the producer of world trade documents such as Bill of Laden and Charter Parties.
According to Lavalie, the World Maritime University Chancellor and IMO Secretary General, Mr. Koji Sekimizu, conferred postgraduate degrees on the World Maritime University's Class of 2012. The ceremony was a fitting tribute to the graduates who were addressed by several distinguished guests.
Lavalie, until his study at the World Maritime University, served as the Chief of Office Staff to the Office of Managing Director of the National Port Authority, Madam Matilda W. Parker. Before then, he worked as Program Assistant at the defunct Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Liberia (TRC).
Also during his undergraduate study, Mr. Lavalie served as founding member of the Agriculture Students Cooperative at the William Richard Tolbert Junior College of Agriculture and Forestry of the University of Liberia and ardent community mobilizer in the New Georgia Estate Community.
The Guest of Honor for the graduation ceremony, Carl Johan Hagman, CEO of Stena AB Shipping, spoke to the graduates about the global importance of shipping and the important role they will play in helping to improve ports administration and management in their respective countries as well as multinational shipping institutions.
Speeches were also delivered by Secretary General Sekimizu and WMU President Dr. Bjorn Kjerfve before the conferring of degrees for two Honorary Doctorates.
Lavalie hopes that due to Liberia's important role in world shipping history, Liberia can feed more Liberians into the main stream activities of the maritime sectors to include Ship Owning, Ship Building, Ship Operating, Ship Scrapping, Ship Insurance, Ship Registry, Port Operations, Crew Supply, and many other important areas associated with the maritime.
Lavalie has meanwhile returned home to contribute his quota to the rebuilding of his beloved country.
