BB Energy, Ports Authority Discuss Offshore LPG Supply Plan

The Sierra Leone Ports and Harbours Authority and BB Energy discussed a proposed offshore logistics arrangement on September 23, 2026, to support the supply of liquefied petroleum gas to a planned power generation facility.

The discussions considered a delivery model involving weekly calls by large LPG carriers and smaller shuttle vessels operating from an offshore mother vessel. The smaller vessels under consideration would have an approximate capacity of 3,000 to 5,000 deadweight tonnes.

Offshore operations under consideration

Maritime issues raised during the discussions included anchorage, ship-to-ship transfers, bunkering and other offshore services. It has not been established whether the proposed arrangement has been finalized, and details such as the location of the mother vessel, the project timeline and specific regulatory conditions were not provided.

BB Energy’s company information, as cited in the report, identifies the firm as an investor in the Nant power project and as holding the contract to supply LPG to the facility. The same company profile reportedly states that BB Energy traded about 34.5 million metric tonnes of petroleum products and liquid gases in 2025 and generated approximately US$21.45 billion in revenue that year.

Concerns over local competition

The proposed arrangement has prompted concern about the position of indigenous Sierra Leonean LPG businesses if BB Energy’s activities extend beyond supplying the planned power plant.

Existing local operators are described as having invested over several decades in storage facilities, cylinders, transportation, distribution networks, safety systems and employment. They have also carried much of Sierra Leone’s LPG demand during that period.

The concern remains prospective rather than an established market outcome. The issue raised is whether smaller indigenous businesses would be able to compete on equal terms with a company described as having substantial financial and logistical strength.

Calls for consultation and safeguards

The report calls for meaningful engagement between BB Energy, existing LPG companies, the Sierra Leone Ports and Harbours Authority, the National Petroleum Regulatory Authority and the Sierra Leone Local Content Agency before arrangements capable of reshaping the domestic LPG market are completed.

The Local Content Agency’s stated objectives include giving Sierra Leonean companies priority in contracts and expanding domestic participation across the petroleum, maritime, transportation and energy sectors. The Local Content Agency Act was established to promote greater ownership and control of productive sectors by Sierra Leoneans.

The proposed investment is being presented as an opportunity to combine foreign capital and expertise with indigenous enterprise, competition, local investment, employment and Sierra Leonean participation across the LPG value chain. However, the information available indicates an apparent lack of broad consultation with existing LPG businesses.

Official Ghana industry data cited in the report recorded 157 oil and LPG marketing companies actively marketing petroleum products during the second quarter of 2023. The figure was referenced in support of maintaining competition in downstream energy markets.

Whether BB Energy will expand beyond supplying the proposed power facility, and how the arrangement could affect market concentration in Sierra Leone, remain unresolved.