Sierra Leone Reviews LPG Logistics Plan as Local Firms Seek Protection

The Sierra Leone Ports and Harbours Authority and BB Energy discussed a possible offshore logistics arrangement on September 23 to support liquefied petroleum gas supplies for a planned power generation facility.

The talks covered a delivery model involving large LPG carriers making weekly calls and smaller shuttle vessels transporting approximately 3,000 to 5,000 deadweight tonnes of LPG from an offshore mother vessel. Anchorage, ship-to-ship transfers, bunkering and other offshore services were also among the issues considered.

No finalized or approved arrangement has been reported. However, the proposed model has prompted concern about how the expansion could affect Sierra Leonean businesses already operating in the LPG market.

Questions over market competition

Existing indigenous LPG companies have invested in storage facilities, cylinders, transportation, distribution networks and safety systems over several decades. They have also contributed to employment and helped support LPG demand in Sierra Leone.

The discussions have therefore raised questions about whether local operators would be able to compete if BB Energy expands beyond supplying the proposed power plant. The available information does not establish that indigenous companies will be displaced, nor does it confirm that BB Energy intends to enter the wider domestic market.

BB Energy is described in its company information as an investor in the Nant power project and the holder of the contract to supply LPG. An earlier corporate profile also presented the project as having the potential to create infrastructure for broader LPG supply in Sierra Leone.

According to BB Energy’s 2026 company profile, the company traded approximately 34.5 million metric tonnes of petroleum products and liquid gases in 2025 and generated about US$21.45 billion in revenue. Those figures, attributed to the company’s own profile, have contributed to concerns about the competitive position of smaller domestic businesses.

Calls for broader consultation

The source material indicates that there appeared to have been no broad consultation with indigenous LPG companies before the discussions reached the reported stage, although that assessment is based on information presently available.

It calls for meaningful engagement among BB Energy, existing LPG companies, the Ports and Harbours Authority, the National Petroleum Regulatory Authority and the Sierra Leone Local Content Agency before any arrangement capable of reshaping the domestic LPG market is finalized.

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

Regional experience

Ghana’s downstream petroleum sector is cited as an example of a market that includes both local and international operators. Official industry data cited in the source reported that 157 oil and LPG marketing companies were actively marketing petroleum products there during the second quarter of 2023.

The comparison highlights the importance of maintaining competition while developing infrastructure and supply capacity. For Sierra Leone, the outstanding questions include the final form of the offshore logistics arrangement, the extent of BB Energy’s role and how local businesses would participate.

Those matters remain unresolved as discussions continue, and the available information does not indicate that the proposed arrangement has been concluded.