BMC, Liberia's procurement and consulting firm, BMC, recently signed engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts for the construction of an "indoor storage facility" powered in part by solar energy. InfraCo Africa and GLS Group are the companies selected to implement the project.
The project is based on the motto “Essential storage and sophisticated warehouse management systems”. This is what the Liberian government wants for its micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). BMC, the country’s procurement and consulting firm, recently signed engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts for the construction of a storage facility. InfraCo Africa, the subsidiary of the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) and the Liberian logistics company GLS Group will build a large storage facility on a 4,600 m2 site. It will be located 10 km from the Freeport in the Liberian capital Monrovia.
The future Liberia Inland Storage Facility (LISF) is expected to enable companies to achieve efficiency gains and expand their operations. “This will also reduce overall costs for end consumers. By facilitating trade, the LISF will also promote wider economic development as Liberia seeks to recover from the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic,” says Gilles Vaes, CEO of InfraCo Africa, the majority shareholder of the storage project, represented on the ground by CPCS Transcom (CPCS).
The commissioning planned for the end of 2021
InfraCo Africa was awarded a US$360,000 grant from PIDG Technical Assistance (PIDG TA) to assess the electricity needs of the storage facility. The funds will be used for the supply and installation of a rooftop solar hybrid system that will be the main source of electricity for the LISF. The rooftop solar energy system will maximise energy efficiency, reduce overall reliance on diesel and lower carbon emissions. “The system is also expected to provide a replicable model for similar installations in the region, with the potential to reduce carbon emissions in the sector,” says Gilles Vaes, CEO of InfraCo Africa.
The future indoor storage facility is expected to be operational before the end of 2021.
Inès Magoum
