| Unit Name: | Liberian National Coast Guard |
| Start Date: | 1959 |
| Country: |  Liberia |
| Type: | Coast guard |
| Battles: | First Liberian Civil War Second Liberian Civil War |
| Anniversaries: | February 11 |
| Commander1: | President Joseph Boakai |
| Commander1 Label: | Commander-in-Chief |
| Commander2: | Geraldine George |
| Commander2 Label: | Minister of National Defense |
| Commander3: | Major Theophilus Momo Duo |
| Commander3 Label: | Commander of the Coast Guard |
| Identification Symbol Label: | Naval Jack |
| Identification Symbol 2 Label: | Ensign |
The Liberian National Coast Guard is the naval force of Liberia, part of the Armed Forces of Liberia. Its main duties are law enforcement along Liberia's coast and in its maritime area, and aiding those in distress.[1]
Liberia acquired a small number of naval ships during its early history. In 1892 the steel gunboat Gorronomah, built in Ireland, became its first ship, and in 1894 it acquired the gunboat Rocktown, built in the Netherlands. They were both out of service by 1900. In 1916 the auxiliary schooner President Howard was acquired from Germany and was the only ship in the Liberian Navy, but it was sunk in April 1918 by the German submarine .[2] [3]
The Liberian National Coast Guard, was established in 1959.[4] Throughout the Tubman period the coastguard was little more than a few sometimes unserviceable patrol craft manned by ill-trained personnel, though its training improved in the 1980s to the point where it was considered the best trained of the armed services.
In 1984 the Liberian National Coast Guard contained about 450 personnel.[5] Under Samuel Doe the Coast Guard was retitled the Liberian Navy in 1986 through the passage of The Liberian Navy Act of 1986.[6] However, as a result of the First and Second Liberian civil wars, the navy lost control of its bases and was reduced to an insignificant force.
The Coast Guard was reactivated on the 53rd Armed Forces Day on February 11, 2010, with an initial strength of 40 personnel who had been trained in the United States.[7] A United States Coast Guard officer is now serving at the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia supporting efforts to reestablish the Liberian Coast Guard.[8]
A detachment from SeaBee Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 7, based at Naval Station Rota, Spain, constructed a United States Africa Command-funded boat ramp and concrete perimeter wall for the Coast Guard, which was handed over in December 2010.[9] In February 2011, the United States turned over two donated USCG Defender class boats to the Coast Guard.[10]
The fleet of the Liberian National Coast Guard currently consists of:
See main article: Military ranks of Liberia. The ranks and insignia of the Liberian National Coast Guard are based on those of the United States Coast Guard, and are laid out in the Liberian Defense Act of 2008.