Scope and purpose
This policy applies when you visit or use the NPA website, contact NPA through an email address or digital channel published on the website, submit information through an online form where one is made available, respond to a digital notice, or otherwise interact with an NPA digital service that refers to this policy.
It is intended to explain what information may be handled, why NPA may need it, how it may be protected and disclosed, how long it may be retained, and the choices or rights available to individuals under applicable law.
NPA seeks to apply this policy consistently with the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Liberia, including applicable data protection, electronic transactions, records, procurement, public finance, security, employment and access-to-information requirements, as well as relevant regional obligations that apply to the Authority.
Who is responsible for your information
The National Port Authority of Liberia is responsible for personal information processed for the purposes described in this policy where NPA determines why and how that information is used.
Information we may collect
The information NPA handles depends on the nature of your interaction. It may include:
- Identity and contact information: name, title, organisation, postal address, email address, telephone number and other contact details.
- Business and professional information: employer or company, role, professional relationship with NPA, business correspondence and information connected with shipping, logistics, investment, procurement, contracting or port services.
- Enquiry and correspondence information: the content of questions, requests, complaints, feedback, documents and other communications you send to NPA.
- Application and submission information: information supplied for careers, tenders, procurement, expressions of interest, partnerships, registrations, permits, notices or other official processes where NPA provides a digital submission route.
- Transaction and administrative information: reference numbers, service details, payment-related records or supporting documentation where relevant to an NPA service. NPA does not ask users to send confidential payment credentials through ordinary website contact channels.
- Technical information: internet protocol (IP) address, browser type, device information, operating system, referring page, requested pages, access date and time, diagnostic data and security logs generated when the website is accessed.
- Preference information: communication preferences or consent choices where a service gives you those options.
NPA does not seek sensitive personal information through general website enquiries unless it is genuinely necessary for an authorised purpose. Please do not send passports, financial account credentials, medical records, biometric information or other highly sensitive material through a general contact channel unless NPA has specifically requested it through an appropriate and secure process.
How we obtain information
NPA may receive personal information:
- directly from you when you contact, apply to, register with or submit information to the Authority;
- from your employer, agent, representative, shipping line, service provider, business partner or another organisation acting in connection with an NPA matter;
- from government institutions, regulators, security bodies or other public authorities where information sharing is authorised or required;
- from publicly available sources where use of the information is lawful and relevant to an official NPA purpose; and
- automatically from website infrastructure and security systems when you access NPA's online services.
How we use personal information
NPA may use personal information to:
- respond to enquiries, requests, complaints and official correspondence;
- provide, administer and improve port-related information and public digital services;
- process applications, tenders, procurement submissions, expressions of interest, registrations and other official submissions;
- communicate with port users, suppliers, contractors, concessionaires, investors, partners and government stakeholders;
- support NPA's statutory, administrative, operational, safety, security and public-interest functions;
- maintain records, audit trails and evidence of official decisions and transactions;
- protect NPA systems, detect misuse, investigate cyber or security events, and maintain website availability;
- comply with legal, regulatory, court, audit, public finance, procurement, records-management and reporting requirements;
- prepare aggregated or statistical information for planning, service improvement and public reporting where individuals are not intended to be identified; and
- establish, exercise or defend legal claims and protect the rights, property, safety and legitimate interests of NPA, its personnel, port users and the public.
NPA does not sell personal information and does not use the public website to trade personal data for advertising purposes.
Basis for processing
Depending on the circumstances and the requirements of applicable law, NPA may process personal information because the processing is necessary for the performance of a statutory or public function; compliance with a legal obligation; the administration or performance of a contract or pre-contractual request; protection of important public, operational or security interests; an authorised institutional interest that does not improperly override individual rights; or because you have provided valid consent for a specific purpose.
Where NPA relies on consent, consent may generally be withdrawn for future processing, subject to applicable law and any independent basis that permits or requires NPA to continue retaining or using the information.
International processing and service providers
Some technology, cloud, hosting, content-delivery, email, security or support services used by NPA may process or store information on infrastructure located outside Liberia. Where personal information is transferred or made accessible across borders, NPA will seek to use appropriate contractual, technical, organisational or other safeguards required by applicable law and proportionate to the nature of the information and service.
How long we retain information
NPA retains personal information for no longer than is reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, unless a longer period is required or permitted by law, records-management rules, audit requirements, public finance obligations, procurement requirements, contractual needs, security requirements, dispute resolution or another legitimate public purpose.
Retention periods vary by record type. Routine technical logs may be kept for a comparatively short period, while formal correspondence, procurement records, contracts, official decisions, financial records or records of enduring institutional value may need to be retained for substantially longer periods. When information is no longer required, NPA will seek to delete, anonymise, archive or otherwise dispose of it in an appropriate manner.
How we protect information
NPA uses administrative, technical and organisational measures intended to protect personal information against unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, loss, misuse or destruction. Measures may include access controls, authentication, secure communications, system monitoring, backups, role-based permissions, supplier controls and other safeguards appropriate to the system and information involved.
No internet transmission or information system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Users should therefore take reasonable precautions when sending information online and should use only official NPA channels published on this website.
Your privacy rights and choices
Subject to applicable law, the nature of the record and NPA's statutory obligations, you may be entitled to ask NPA to confirm whether personal information about you is being processed, request access to or a copy of relevant information, request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information, object to or request restriction of particular processing, request deletion where continued retention is not legally or operationally required, or withdraw consent where consent is the basis for processing.
Some rights are not absolute. NPA may need to retain or withhold information where this is required for public records, procurement, audit, legal proceedings, security, law enforcement, contractual obligations, protection of another person's rights or another lawful public purpose. Where appropriate, NPA may ask for information necessary to verify your identity before responding to a privacy request.
You may also raise a concern or complaint about how your information has been handled. NPA will consider privacy enquiries in accordance with applicable law and any procedures or supervisory arrangements in force at the relevant time.
Public records, procurement and official business
Information submitted to a public authority can become part of an official institutional record. In particular, correspondence, procurement submissions, contracts, applications, decisions, payment records, audit material and records connected with public functions may be subject to statutory retention, financial oversight, audit, court processes, lawful disclosure or access-to-information requirements.
NPA will seek to balance transparency and accountability obligations with privacy, confidentiality, commercial sensitivity and security considerations. A request to erase information cannot override a legal duty to preserve an official record.
Children's information
The NPA website is a public information service and is not directed specifically at children. NPA does not knowingly seek to collect personal information from children through general website functions unless the information is required for a specific authorised programme or service and appropriate protections are in place. A parent, guardian or responsible adult who believes a child has provided unnecessary personal information may contact NPA using the details below.
Third-party websites and services
This website may link to other government institutions, partners, service providers or external websites. Those websites are responsible for their own privacy and security practices. A link from NPA does not mean that this policy governs the external service. Users should review the privacy information provided by the relevant third party before submitting personal information to it.
Automated decision-making
At the date of this policy, NPA does not use the public website to make decisions about individuals solely by automated processing where those decisions produce legal or similarly significant effects. If such a process is introduced, NPA will provide additional information and safeguards where required by law.
Data incidents and breaches
If NPA becomes aware of an incident affecting personal information, the Authority will seek to assess the incident promptly, contain and remediate the issue, preserve necessary evidence and take notification or other steps required by applicable law and the circumstances of the event.
If you believe information submitted to NPA or an NPA digital service has been compromised, please contact the Authority promptly and provide enough information for the matter to be investigated without including additional unnecessary sensitive data.
Changes to this policy
NPA may update this Privacy Policy when its services, technology, legal obligations or information-handling practices change. The current version will be published on this page with an updated revision date. Material changes may also be communicated through an additional website notice where appropriate.
How to contact NPA about privacy
For a privacy question, request or concern relating to this website or an NPA digital service, contact the National Port Authority through its official channels. Please describe the matter clearly and identify the relevant service, communication or record where possible.
For formal submissions that are subject to a specific tender, recruitment, port-service or regulatory process, use the contact route stated in the relevant official notice rather than the general privacy contact.
