The first Liberian Student to earn a post graduate degree in Shipping and Port Management has returned home.

Mohamed Lavalie pursued professional career with Master of Science in Maritime Administration, specializing in Shipping and Port Management with extensive exposure of knowledge in modern maritime transport and administrative affairs from the World Maritime University.

He is a graduate of Ricks Institute High School in Liberia and holder of Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Liberia.

Lavalie graduated on December 2, 2012 from the World Maritime University in Malmo, Sweden. He becomes the first Liberian in the country's Maritime history to specialize in both shipping and port management unlike his previous Liberian graduates in maritime affairs who either specialized in shipping or Port Management.

His graduation brings to a number of 26 Liberians who graduated from the World Maritime University.

During the course of his studies, Mr. Lavalie traveled extensively on field trips for practical knowledge to Asia and Europe. In particular, Mr. Lavalie visited the Republic of Singapore at the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) of Singapore, the world second largest container handling terminal in Germany.

He also visited the world largest automated terminal in Hamburg the Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA) and Hapag-Lloyd Shipping. Furthermore, Mr. Lavalie visited Kalmar, one of the world leading Cargo Handling Equipment Manufacturer and Supplier in Sweden, the producer of the famous Kalmar reach stacker and folk lift. In addition, Lavalie visited the Baltic International Maritime Council (BIMCO) in Copehengan, Denmark, the producer of world trade documents such as Bill of Laden and Charter Parties.

According to him, the World Maritime University Chancellor and IMO Secretary General, Mr. Koji Sekimizu, conferred postgraduate degrees on the World Maritime University's Class of 2012.

Lavalie, until his study at the World Maritime University, served as the Chief of Office Staff to the Office of Managing Director of the National Port Authority, Madam Matilda W. Parker, and before then, he worked as Program Assistant at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Liberia (TRC).

During his undergraduate study, Mr. Lavalie served as a founding member of the Agriculture Students Cooperative at the William Richard Tolbert College of Agriculture and Forestry at the University of Liberia and ardent community mobilizer in the New Georgia Estate Community.

Mr. Lavalie hopes that due to Liberia's important role in world shipping history, the country would feed more Liberians into the main stream activities of the maritime sectors to include: Ship Owning, Ship Building, Ship Operating, Ship Scrapping, Ship Insurance, Ship Registry, Port Operations, Crew Supply, and many other important areas associated with the maritime.