Alport Banjul has appointed Dr. Lamin Jawara as Deputy Managing Director, drawing on nearly three decades of technical and leadership experience in The Gambia’s ports, ferries and ship registry, as well as international operations in the United States.
The appointment, announced by the company, places a chartered marine engineer and newly minted Doctor of Philosophy at the helm of day-to-day operations at one of West Africa’s key Atlantic gateways. Dr. Jawara’s career began in 1997 at the Gambia Ports Authority, where he rose from Cadet Marine Engineer to Director of Technical Services in the Ferries Division. He later served as General Manager of Gambia Ferry Services and as Director of Ship Registry at the Gambia Maritime Administration, roles that gave him direct responsibility for vessel safety, regulatory compliance, and strategic fleet management.
His international credentials include a stint at NYC Ferry in New York, where he worked as Engineering Projects Manager and Fleet Maintenance Supervisor. These positions exposed him to large-scale urban ferry systems and modern maintenance practices that he is now expected to apply in Banjul.
Academically, Dr. Jawara holds an MSc in Marine Technology from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Earlier this year, he became the first Gambian national to earn a PhD in Maritime Affairs from the World Maritime University in Malmö, Sweden—an institution established by the United Nations in 1985. He defended a thesis titled “Climate Emergency and Global Shipping: Charting New Governance Routes Through Analogical Reasoning,” which explores innovative policy approaches to decarbonizing the global fleet. The research builds on earlier published work examining lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic for shipping’s green transition.
As a chartered engineer registered in the United Kingdom and a member of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology, Dr. Jawara combines hands-on operational experience with advanced scholarship in climate governance. Alport Banjul said the appointment reflects its commitment to strengthening technical leadership as the port handles growing cargo volumes and prepares for tighter international environmental regulations.
Industry observers note that his dual background—deep familiarity with Gambia’s maritime administration and specialized research on shipping’s climate response—positions him to bridge local operational realities with emerging global standards. The company extended a formal welcome, expressing confidence that his expertise will support continued improvements in safety, efficiency and sustainability at Banjul.
Dr. Jawara’s elevation comes at a time when West African ports are under increasing pressure to modernize infrastructure and align with the International Maritime Organization’s decarbonization targets. His tenure is expected to focus on technical resilience, ferry and cargo operations, and applying climate-related governance frameworks developed during his doctoral studies.
