The National Inland Waterways Authority ( NIWA) has initiated discussion with the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation ( NNPC ) on how to deliver crude to the refineries through the waterways.

The Acting Managing Director of NIWA, Mr Danaladi Ibrahim, told reporters in Lokoja yesterday that formal discussions with the management of the NNPC on the proposal would begin this week.

Danaladi said NIWA was encouraged to initiate the proposal following the decision to stop the delivery of crude by trucks to the refineries in Port Harcourt, Kaduna and Warri.

He said the NIWA could deliver crude through barges to the refineries, describing the option as cheaper, safe and environment-friendly.

Ibrahim said NIWA also had the capacity to deliver refined products through inland waterways to all states, except Katsina and Kano.

He said the organisation had procured enough tugboats to drive the barges, which were of varying capacities from 300 to 800 tonnes.

The NIWA chief said the organisation had also procured 17 gunboats to guarantee the security of the facilities and personnel involved in the operation.

Ibrahim hoped the proposal would be considered by the NNPC, saying the organisation had taken steps to protect the banks of River Niger.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/08/nnpc-national-inland-waterways-authority-in-talks-on-delivery-of-crude-to-refineries/

Inland waterways does not
1,ships built for transporting crude
2,the inland waterways cannot sustain the required bulk ships to economically transport crude to the refeneries


except
1,it uses smaller crude boats which capital intensive
2,enlarge the waterways which means the ft has to issue dredging contractors to MASSIVELY ENLARGE THE CHANNELS(costly)

so it is basically back to square one