By Jamesetta D. Williams
MONROVIA–The Liberian government has announced that it has in its custody the mysterious Comoros-flagged cargo vessel IB Atlantic IV after it was turned over to Liberia by the Ivorian government at the end of inter-state engagement.
The ship eluded Liberian coast guard pursuit and disappeared from the country’s territorial waters. It was pursued by Ivorian authority in deep waters off its coast and arrested.
Liberian authorities expected to subject the vessel to further scrutiny and investigation, Information Minister Jerolinmek Matthew Piah who confirmed the vessel’s return Thursday said, noting its arrival will allow authorities to proceed with further inquiries into the vessel and its movements.
In addition, Foreign Affairs Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti also disclosed that the vessel was returned to Liberia following cooperation between Liberian authorities and authorities in Côte d’Ivoire.
Nyanti said she was in Côte d’Ivoire when the matter was being addressed and worked closely with Ivorian authorities to facilitate the vessel’s return.
Two customs and docking agents at the Port of Monrovia, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also confirmed that the vessel is now in Liberia.
According to the port sources, IB Atlantic IV Maroni entered Liberia through Maryland County under the command of the Liberian Coast Guard, as reflected in the vessel’s manifest.
However, the sources said the vessel is not currently in Coast Guard custody.
They also said authorities have yet to establish the full contents of the vessel or determine the identities of all crew members because a comprehensive inspection has not yet been conducted.
The circumstances surrounding the vessel’s movements, including how it left Liberian territorial waters while being pursued and how it subsequently came to be returned to Liberia, are expected to form part of the authorities’ investigation.
The vessel was reportedly arrested in Côte d’Ivoire on August 9, 2026, during a joint maritime security operation conducted under the Combined Maritime Task Force (CMTF) framework, with the operation reportedly led by the Armed Forces of Liberia.
The CMTF was launched on June 1, 2026, bringing together Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone to strengthen regional cooperation against piracy and other forms of transnational maritime crime along the West African coastline.
The vessel’s return to Liberia now places it within the reach of Liberian authorities for further examination.
While authorities have confirmed the vessel’s return, questions remain about its movements, cargo and crew.
The absence of a full inspection means the nature of the vessel’s contents has not yet been publicly established, according to the port sources.
Authorities are therefore expected to conduct further checks to determine the circumstances surrounding the vessel’s presence in Liberian waters and its subsequent movement to Côte d’Ivoire before its return.
The development comes as Liberia continues to strengthen cooperation with neighboring countries on maritime security and transnational crime.
The government has not yet publicly disclosed the findings of any full inspection of the vessel or announced whether criminal charges will arise from the investigation.
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