SLFNA Port Code Lookup
Total 1 ports of SLFNA
Freetown Port is the seaport of Freetown, in the city of Freetownin Sierra leone. Overseas routes include Africa, Port code is SLFNA.
Port Overview
Freetown Port, UN/LOCODE SLFNA, is a medium-sized commercial seaport serving Sierra Leone and the wider West African trade environment. Located in Freetown on the Atlantic coast, the port benefits from a sheltered natural harbour. The supplied port record identifies seven berths and an entrance minimum depth of 11.6 metres. Its cargo profile includes containerised cargo, general cargo, exports and liquid bulk. The port is therefore relevant for both scheduled liner shipments and project or bulk-related movements, subject to vessel, berth and cargo acceptance confirmation. Our service team can coordinate origin booking, transshipment planning, document review, destination handling and inland delivery on a case-by-case basis.
| Port code | SLFNA |
|---|---|
| Port / country | FREETOWN, Sierra Leone |
| Coordinates | 8.4920000, -13.2230000 |
| Port type | Seaport with a sheltered natural harbour |
| Berths and entrance depth | Seven berths; minimum entrance depth stated as 11.6 m in the supplied port record |
| Recorded vessel limits | Maximum length 266 m; maximum draught 12.1 m; maximum deadweight 66,614 t |
Key Highlights
Facilities & Services
- Berthing: The port record identifies seven berths. Berth suitability, working windows and vessel restrictions should be reconfirmed with the local agent before final booking.
- Container handling: Containerised cargo can be planned through the applicable terminal and shipping-line procedures. Equipment availability, reefer plugs, special cargo acceptance and storage terms require shipment-specific confirmation.
- General and project cargo: Breakbulk, machinery and other non-containerised cargo should be assessed for lifting, securing, berth handling and road delivery limitations before dispatch.
- Liquid bulk: The recorded annual liquid-bulk volume indicates that liquid-bulk operations form part of the port’s commercial profile. Product compatibility, tank or pipeline arrangements and safety approvals must be confirmed in advance.
- Customs and inspection interface: Cargo release normally depends on complete customs documentation, terminal processing and any inspection or regulatory clearance required for the commodity.
- Inland delivery: Our service team can arrange destination trucking and delivery coordination, subject to route survey, truck type, container dimensions, road conditions and consignee site access.
Routes & Transit Times
- Trade direction: Freetown shipments are generally planned within West Africa and through international ocean networks connecting with major regional or overseas hub ports. The actual routing depends on carrier rotation, equipment position, transshipment availability and cargo type.
- Transshipment planning: Where no suitable direct sailing is available, cargo may require a hub connection. Each additional connection can affect schedule reliability, documentation timing and the risk of rolled or delayed cargo.
- Transit-time control: Ocean transit estimates should be treated as indicative only. Port congestion, weather, vessel schedule changes, transshipment dwell, customs processing and inland trucking can materially alter the final delivery date.
- Our quotation practice: Our service team confirms the current carrier option, routing, cut-off, free-time terms and estimated transit after receiving the origin, destination, commodity, container type and required delivery point.
Hinterland & Key Cargo
- Primary hinterland: The port primarily supports Freetown and Sierra Leone’s import and export flows. Cross-border or inland regional delivery requires separate route, border and trucking assessment.
- Typical imports: Containerised consumer goods, machinery, construction materials, industrial inputs and packaged food products are commonly considered in shipment planning, subject to current trade demand and regulatory requirements.
- Export and bulk relevance: The supplied cargo figures show a meaningful export and liquid-bulk component. Commodity-specific packing, safety, documentation and terminal acceptance checks are essential.
- Delivery constraints: Heavy, oversized or temperature-controlled cargo may require a route survey, suitable chassis or low-bed equipment, escort arrangements and consignee-site preparation before sailing.
Operations & Compliance
- Cut-off control: Carrier closing, terminal receiving, documentation cut-off and verified gross mass deadlines can differ. Our service team recommends confirming all cut-offs in writing before cargo delivery to origin or transshipment facilities.
- Dangerous goods: Provide the correct UN number, proper shipping name, class, packing group, quantity, package details and safety data before booking. Dangerous-goods acceptance, segregation and terminal approval must be obtained before cargo dispatch.
- Customs documents: Commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading instructions, certificate of origin and any commodity-specific permits should be consistent in description, quantity, weight and consignee details. Customs or terminal examination may extend release time.
- Inland delivery: Confirm container weight, dimensions, delivery address, road access, unloading equipment, receiving hours and empty-return instructions. Do not assume that a standard truck can handle heavy, high-cube or out-of-gauge cargo.
Shipping Tips
- Send the shipping instruction early and ask our service team to compare direct-call and transshipment options according to cargo urgency, equipment availability and schedule risk.
- For FCL cargo, verify gross weight, container type, seal details and VGM data before the terminal cut-off. For LCL cargo, confirm consolidation warehouse receiving rules and destination deconsolidation arrangements.
- For liquid, dangerous, oversized or project cargo, provide technical specifications, SDS or drawings, packing method and lifting points before quotation so that acceptance and handling requirements can be reviewed.
- Build contingency time for customs inspection, terminal release, trucking allocation and consignee unloading. Final rates, cut-offs, routing and transit estimates should be confirmed against the current sailing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The supplied port record describes a commercial port handling cargo and liquid bulk, while approximately 73% of regular vessel calls are cargo vessels. The exact acceptance, equipment and berth arrangements must be confirmed for the commodity and vessel.
No. It is the maximum draught recorded in the supplied port data. Actual acceptance can depend on tide, berth, channel conditions, vessel particulars, cargo intake and the port or agent’s current instructions.
Submit them as early as possible, preferably before booking is finalised. Carrier, terminal and local acceptance may require review of the declaration, SDS, packaging, labels, segregation and emergency information.
Our service team can assess destination trucking and delivery coordination. We need the exact address, cargo weight and dimensions, container type, unloading conditions and required delivery date before confirming an executable plan.
No. Transit time is an estimate and may change because of carrier schedules, transshipment, weather, port operations, customs, equipment availability and inland delivery conditions. We provide updates against the confirmed sailing.
Data Sources & Provenance
Primary factual basis: the supplied port record for UN/LOCODE SLFNA, including port name, country, city, coordinates, berth count, entrance depth, cargo figures and recorded vessel parameters.
Verification boundary: figures such as annual tonnage, depth, vessel length, draught and deadweight are reproduced as supplied and should be reconfirmed with the port, carrier or local agent before operational commitment because conditions and published records may change.
Operational guidance: recommendations on booking cut-offs, dangerous-goods declarations, customs documents, inspection risk and inland delivery are standard international forwarding controls. They do not replace current instructions from the carrier, terminal, customs authority, port operator or appointed local agent.