The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) says it has recruited 250 new cadets to man its various platforms in the Lagos-Bayelsa coastal corridor.

The agency’s Director General, Dr Bashir Jamoh made this known to newsmen in Port Harcourt on Monday.

Jamoh, who was represented by his Special Assistant on Communications and Strategy, Ubong Essien, at a news conference, said the recruitment exercise was part of the current drive to develop local capacity for improved operations.

“So, the 250 cadets are about to be sent for training as part of our commitment to develop manpower to man our many platforms that are coming on stream soon.

READ MORE>> https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/nigerian-maritime-administration-and-safety-agency-recruits-250-fresh-staff/

The President of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Mrs Toki Mabogunje, has bemoaned the inefficiency of Nigerian seaports, says the ports are largely underdeveloped, poorly rated, even in West Africa sub-region.

Mabogunje said this at the LCCI’s maritime sector group inaugural webinar on Wednesday, which aim was to ensure improved port operations for better national economic outcomes.

She noted that over 90 per cent of Nigeria’s imports and exports were conveyed via sea, underscoring the strategic importance of maritime to the domestic and global economy.

The LCCI President said that in spite of the strategic importance of maritime activities to trade facilitation and industrialisation, Nigerian seaports remained largely underdeveloped and poorly ranked among its peers in West Africa sub-region.

According to her, no economy can be competitive in the international trade arena without an efficient and functional maritime sector.

The President said that the formation of the maritime group was borne out of the need to consolidate the

READ MORE >>> https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/nigerian-ports-largely-underdeveloped-poorly-ranked-in-w-africa-lcci-president/

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has revealed how Nigeria’s three redundant refineries gulped a total of N5.86 billion in overhead expenses on zero products output in the month of December 2020 alone.

This expenditure eventually resulted in operating loss of N5.37 billion by the comatose refineries, the report stated.

A news report by Vanguard, said that the three refineries are those of Kaduna, Warri and Port Harcourt. The Federal Government has awarded contract for rehabilitation of Port Harcourt refinery at a cost of USD1.5 billion, a figure considered by most industry experts as outrageously high while condemning the high cost of maintaining the offices in the refineries with zero output over the years.

According to the NNPC report “in December 2020, NNPC lifted 7,538,735 barrels of crude oil from the daily allocation for domestic utilization translating to an average volume of 243,185 barrels of oil per day.”

READ MORE>>> https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/scandalous-how-nigerias-three-redundant-refineries-gulped-n5-4bn-in-one-month/

The 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) generated N1.31 trillion as Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in 2020 compared to N1.33 trillion recorded in 2019, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says.

NBS made this known on Friday in Abuja in its “Internally Generated Revenue At State Level” for Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2020 published on its website.

According to the report, it indicates a negative growth of -1.93 per cent year on year.

It added that the Q4 2020 states and FCT IGR figure was N335.25 billion compared to N338.57 billion recorded in Q3 2020. This indicates a negative growth of -0.98 per cent quarter on quarter.

The NBS said that Lagos state recorded the highest IGR of N418.99 billion, closely followed by Rivers with N117.19 billion and the FCT with N92.05 billion.

READ MORE: https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/lagos-rivers-top-igr-chart-as-states-fct-generate-n1-31trn-in-2020-nbs/

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), in conjunction with Witherbys have released the 6th edition of the publication: Drug Trafficking and Drug Abuse On Board Ship: Guidelines for Owners and Masters on Preparation, Prevention, Protection and Response.

This edition has been fully updated to offer guidance on how to protect vessels and crews, and reduce the risk of drug trafficking occurring on board. It also provides advice on how to respond when faced with drug trafficking and drug abuse at sea. The guidelines also examine the various impacts and implications of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Commercial shipping is one of the principle methods of transporting illegal drugs throughout the world – with ports and shipping companies in the frontline against the importation of these drugs.

READ MORE>> https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/90-of-all-global-cocaine-trade-are-trafficked-through-sea-ics/

The Maritime Executive, an international online magazine, has revealed how fifteen officers and crew kidnapped last month from a chemical tanker sailing in the Gulf of Guinea were released unharmed.

Nine pirates armed with AK47 assault weapons had boarded the Maltese-flagged Davide B on March 11 and taken the Romanian and Philippine nationals from the vessel.

“All crew members are in a relatively good condition given the difficult circumstances they have been under in the last four weeks. They will be receiving medical checks and are being repatriated to their home countries as soon as possible,” said De Poli Shipmanagement owners of the vessel. De Poli declined to discuss the terms of the release only saying in its statement that they “are grateful to the professional advisors, authorities and all those who have helped to resolve this situation for their support throughout this difficult time.”

READ MORE >> https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/how-kidnapped-seafarers-were-released-after-month-in-captivity-in-west-africa/

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) have constituted a Joint Technical Committee to address factors mitigating the development of inland waterways transport in the country.

The eight-member committee saddled with the responsibility of attaining seamless movement of goods and persons through the country’s inland waterways, comprised Directors from NSC and General Managers from NIWA.

Speaking at the inauguration , the Executive Secretary of NSC, Mr Hassan Bello, charged the team to be diligent, while adding that the task if done properly, could bring enormous economic benefits for the nation.

“Recall that one of the critical functions of Shippers’ Council is the consideration of problems faced by shippers with regards to inland waterways transportation of goods and to advise the government on possible solutions thereto.

READ MORE : https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/shippers-council-niwa-to-tackle-challenges-confronting-inland-waterways-transportation/

Business & Maritime West Africa Editorial

The deceptive and inflated ego Nigeria has been putting up over time in the fight against piracy in the Gulf of Guinea is about to be deflated. Danish government has concluded plans to deploy a frigate equipped with a helicopter to patrol international waters in the gulf from November for an initial period of five months. A statement from the Defence Ministry of Denmark about a fortnight ago said the warship will combat piracy by providing escorts to civilian shipping and carrying out rescue operations following attacks.

The international shipping community is happy with the planned deployment. According to Jakob Larsen, head of maritime security at BIMCO, one of the largest industry groups of ship owners, this is welcome as “regional countries currently do not have the capabilities needed to suppress piracy.”

Before the deployment date, Denmark’s government will negotiate agreements with the coastal countries in West Africa. This, Larsen said, will provide a litmus test of how West African coastal states support and facilitate such initiatives. Part of the agreements to be negotiated with the regional governments will include “possible transfer and prosecution of apprehended pirates.”

https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/danish-warship-in-the-gulf-of-guinea-deflating-nigerias-big-ego/

For the first time in more than a quarter of a century Maersk is on track to lose its mantle as the world’s largest containerline.

Mediterranean Shipping Co, now run by former Maersk COO, Soren Toft, has been hoovering up secondhand tonnage in a massive way over the last six months. Combined with new orders for 24,000 teu ships, MSC is now set to overhaul its 2M partner, Maersk, at the top of the global rankings, according to updated data from Alphaliner.

In a report from last November Copenhagen-based Sea-Intelligence said that Maersk is pursuing a strategy focused on profitability rather than size.

“But ‘losing’ the #1 ranking spot, which the carrier has had for a quarter of a century, would still likely have some emotional impact in Copenhagen,” the analysts observed.

Read More >>> https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/msc-set-to-topple-maersk-as-no-1-container-line/

Another Maersk Boxship Losses Hundreds of Containers Near Japan, After Suffering Engine Failure

Maersk Line is reporting the second significant container loss from one of its vessels in 2021. The 13,100 TEU Maersk Eindhoven was near Japan on its regular sailing from Xiamen, China to Los Angeles, California.

The line is reporting that the crew is safe as they work to assess the extent of the loss and seek a suitable port of refuge.

An 11-year-old boxship registered in Denmark, the Maersk Eindhoven experienced an engine stop in heavy seas causing the ship to be unable to maneuver and experience a severe roll. Maersk is now reported that the vessel lost 260 containers overboard during the accident.

MSC issued a similar advisory to its customers saying that “preliminary advice from the vessel operator suggests that several hundred containers have been lost overboard, although we have not yet been informed whether any MSC customer cargo was impacted.”

Read Also >> https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/another-maersk-boxship-losses-hundreds-of-containers-near-japan-after-suffering-engine-failure/

THE Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, has concluded plans to take over security operations at the Secured Anchorage Area, SAA at Lagos anchorage, an area that was once operated by the Ocean Marine Solution Limited, OMSL.

Recall that the Federal Government about three weeks ago counselled the operation of OMSL.

NIMASA Vanguard gathered is to move one of assets of the deep Blue equipment ‘DB Lagos and DB Abuja to the anchorage to secure the area.

DB Lagos and DB Abuja two Multi-purpose security surveillance vessels the government acquired through the Integrated National security and waterways protection infrastructure project.

Read More >> https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/nimasa-takes-over-security-operations-at-lagos-anchorage-area/

By The Maritime Executive

After repeated calls to add the dockworkers at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles to the priority groups for the COVID-19 vaccine, California authorities agreed and released the first batch of vaccines for the frontline workers who are ensuring that cargo continues to flow through the ports

Despite the shortage of the vaccine that has forced some of California’s mass vaccination locations to suspend operations, Long Beach was able to allocate vaccines to people who work at the ports starting on February 12.

The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services confirmed that it organized the clinic supplying 800 doses of the Moderna vaccine for the port workers.

The port workers were added to the priority groups which have included frontline workers in the medical profession, senior citizens, and recently expanded with other segments including teachers

Read More >> https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/covid-19-southern-california-port-employees-begin-to-get-vaccinated/

Following the increased pirate attacks, kidnapping and other violent crimes in Nigeria territorial waters, the country’s Navy on Monday reaffirmed it’s commitment to urgently restore normalcy in the nation’s maritime zone and emplace a conducive environment for maritime business to flourish.

The Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Rear Adm. Awwal Gambo reaffirmed this at the Flag-off Ceremony of the first quarter sea exercise codenamed “Exercise Secured Waters”, aboard the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) THUNDER, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Gambo said that the exercise was in line with the mandate of Mr President and Commander In Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to secure and create a conducive environment for improving maritime business.

“One of my cardinal priorities is to include the operational efficiency of the NN’s fleet in terms of sea readiness and availability for operational deployment.

Read More >> https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/insecurity-nigerian-navy-reaffirms-commitment-to-secure-the-countrys-maritime-domain/

As part of activities lined up to celebrate Nigeria’s unique industry personality who deserves to be specially honoured as he clocks 70, Business & Maritime West Africa features a special interview in honour of Engr GREG OGBEIFUN, pioneer President, Shipowners Association of Nigeria (SOAN).

A Shell-trained Marine Engineer and a dogged advocate for the advancement of the maritime industry in Nigeria, Ogbeifun has contributed immensely to the national discourse for the transformation of the maritime and shipping sector. His contributions cut across a variety of topics such as human capacity development, establishment of a national shipping fleet, capacity development of ship owners and shipyard operators, accountability and transparency of industry regulators , etc.

On the industry platform, during this period, Engr. Ogbeifun pioneered the leadership of several organizations including the first Nigerian Maritime Expo (NIMAREX) and the Ship Owners Associatin of Nigeria ((SOAN) which he led as the pioneer President.

His continuous advocacy for the re-establishment of a Nigerian fleet trading globally led to his being appointed a member of the Ministerial Committee for the Establishment of a National Fleet by the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.

Ogbeifun’s penchant for the development of human capacity led him to dedicate his companies – Starzs Investments Company Ltd and Starzs Marine and Engineering Ltd – as a platform for cadetship training for students from the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, and other maritime tertiary institutions. Little wonder that he was also appointed into the Ministerial Committee to restructure and reposition the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, by Amaechi.

Read More >> https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/our-drydock-project-can-handle-eight-vessels-simultaneously/

*N6.57bn Paid For Phantom Water Hyacinth Removal

*N4.2bn For Evacuation Of ‘Marine Litters’

*Off-shore Waste Reception Gulped N3.7bn

Investigation by Business and Maritime West Africa (BMWA) have revealed how some National Assembly members and top officials of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) have been looting the apex maritime regulatory agency annually, through massive budget padding, award and payment for bogus contracts.

Among many fraudulent channels the annual heist is perpetrated, removal of water hyacinth, marine liters from Nigeria’s waterways and rivers seems to be one of the preferred options as more than N14 billion was siphoned in three years in the guise of clearing the waterways.

In this first of a series of reports on extensive investigation by BMWA on NIMASA, the evacuation of water hyacinth, establishment of Marine litters action plan implementation and provision of offshore waste reception facilities are in focus.

Using the spectre of oversight functions and the ritual of approving the agency’s annual budget, some members of both chambers of the National Assembly in collaboration with top officials of the agency have perfected the art of inserting the removal of water hyacinth in annual capital expenditure and padding the cost.

Afterwards, without any tender or open competitive bidding, the whole sum is awarded as contract to a company nominated by the lawmakers and their NIMASA partners. Contrary to extant rules, there is no competitive bidding for the contract, the supposed project is not supervised, evaluated or verified before payment is made in full. More importantly, no water hyacinth is removed in any of the numerous rivers routinely listed in the budget.

The racket involves the collaboration of members of the Senate and House of Representatives committees on Marine Transport as well as top officials of NIMASA. Ordinarily, queries would have been raised by officials of the maritime agency over the poorly disguised duplication of rivers and water ways over the three years period the investigations by Business and Maritime West Africa covered.

Our extensive investigation established the pattern for drawing the money from the coffers of the agency.

Between 2018 and 2020, the agency had paid N6.577 billion for combating the weed for which none was evacuated.

Within the same period, NIMASA also awarded contracts for “Marine litters action plan implementation” to the tune of N4.203 billion and N3.7 billion for “provision of offshore waste reception facilities/pollution control/marine waste monitoring vessel at eastern, central and western zones”. All of them also fell under the special arrangement with the National Assembly members to ferret funds from the agency.

Just as the case with water hyacinth, the marine litters and offshore waste reception facilities are phantom projects. They were created to provide a “safe” platform for yearly siphoning of money from NIMASA in a win-win arrangement for both the federal law makers and top officials of the maritime regulatory agency.

Continue Reading >>>>> https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/how-federal-legislators-top-nimasa-officials-loot-agency-through-bogus-contracts-budget-padding-1/

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday performed the ground-breaking ceremony of the Kano – Dutse – Jibia (Katsina State} – Maradi 284 Km rail project connecting Kano in Nigeria to Maradi in Niger Republic, virtually.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the 1.96billion dollars project was approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), presided over by the president last September.

Read More >> https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/president-buhari-flags-off-1-96bn-nigeria-niger-republic-rail-project/

Business and Maritime West Africa News Analysis

It is no longer news that the lucrative Secured Anchorage Area run by Ocean Marines Services Limited (OMSL) and the Nigerian Navy in the Lagos pilotage district has eventually been terminated. What is news are the reasons behind the dismantling of the controversial business by the Presidency

In fact, OMSL had run to the presidency in June last year in a bid to stop the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Minister of Transportation from further interference with their dollar-spinning business which they said was being enjoyed by foreign ship owners. But unknown to them that the final blow on the business will come from the presidency.

Ironically, it was the owners that provided the presidency the weapons it used to shut down the business. Reports have it that there was fierce in-fighting between the owners which threw up allegations of corrupt practices and bribery of government officials including the national assembly. According to the report, this may have compelled the president to agree with long-standing security concerns expressed about the OMSL and the Navy deal by senior Ministry of Transportation officials and the Nigerian Ports Authority.

Read More >>>>>> https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/safe-anchorage-area-omsl-the-senate-and-18m-bribery-allegations/

On August 21, 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the closure of Nigerian land borders. This was to stem the high rate of smuggling of agricultural products and the influx of drugs and small arms into the country. In compliance with the presidential order.
Read more»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»» https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/niger-republic-revisiting-president-buharis-land-border-closure/

*BMWA’s Exclusive Report Triggered Backlash

Chief Okechukwu Iwuoha, a licensed freight forwarder, had promised his client that his consignment of eight units of 20 feet would be delivered in 48 hours having paid the import duties, terminal dues and other statutory charges to the various agencies involved in imported clearing processes at the ports.

When he went to Maersk Shipping Company to secure the final release of the containers, he was told to proceed to Abuja to meet the Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff which will certify that all relevant customs duties had been paid before he can evacuate his goods.

Read More........... https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/how-senate-committee-was-forced-to-back-down-from-illegal-intrusion-in-cargo-clearing/

Youths, women, traditional rulers, the intelligentsia and political leaders had all assembled in Port Harcourt. And of course, the six governors from the six South South states. On D-Day November 17, 2020, everyone was prepared for the long wait. First, the Abuja delegation requested that the 11am scheduled time be moved to 1pm and later to 3pm. On each occasion they were obliged. Shortly afterwards, the real game plan was laid bare: the meeting was no longer holding.

The federal delegation which was to be led by the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, called the chairman of the South South Governors Forum, Sen. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, that the meeting has been called off outright

Read More...... https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/niger-deltas-oil-and-zamfara-gold-why-fg-aborted-meeting-with-s-south-leaders/

EXCLUSIVE: Customs High Command Endorsed Modernization Project, Behind its Presidential Approval - Investigation


Contrary to the widespread reports that the recent $3.1billion federal government contract approval for Customs modernization project is an imposition on the Nigeria Customs Service, the top management of the service was part of the processes that led to its approval by President Muhammadu Buhari and subsequent ratification by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), Business & Maritime West Africa can authoritatively reveal.

Investigation shows that it was Col Hameed Ali (Retd), the Customs Comptroller- General of the Service, that called for the modernization, contrary to views being expressed by some stakeholders that customs operation has been sufficiently modernized and needs no further private sector-led modernization.

Business & Maritime West Africa can authoritatively reveal that the Customs Service was part and parcel of the project and duly gave its approval before the Presidency came into it. It was the Customs CG himself who took Bionica Technologies W.A Limited to the Presidency, a highly placed source in the service revealed.

To read more click on this link >> https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/exclusive-customs-high-command-endorsed-modernization-project-behind-its-presidential-approval-investigation/

High Shipping Charges and Nigerian Shippers Council: The Burden of a Powerless Regulator

By Business & Maritime West Africa

Some weeks ago, when Nigerian shippers were still struggling to crawl out of financial uncertainty the COVID-19 pandemic dragged them into, they were confronted with news of proposed imposition of yet another excessive charge by foreign shipping companies operating in Nigeria

The shipping companies led by Maersk Line, wrote the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) and other shipping sector stakeholders, informing them of their decision to impose what they called Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) on Nigeria-bound cargoes with effect from September 1, 2020.

The other shipping lines that followed Maersk Line‘s footsteps, in slamming the surcharges, are Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) and French Container Transportation and Shipping Company, CMA CGM with Head Office in Marseilles, France.

Imposition of peak season surcharge and other excessive charges on Nigerian bound cargoes are not new as the shipping line has been doing that for decades.

To continue reading please click on this link >> https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/high-shipping-charges-and-nigerian-shippers-council-the-burden-of-a-powerless-regulator/

A report by the Nigeria’s Debt Management Office has revealed how the country borrowed a staggering sum of N18.89tn in the last five years under President Mohammadu Buhari.

The country’s debt management establishment while unveiling the report on Wednesday in Abuja, announced that the borrowings has made the public debt to hit a total of N31.01tn at the end of June.

This means that in the last five years under the President Muhammadu Buhari, the country’s debt rose by N18.89tn.

The Punch reports that as at the end of June 2015, one month after the present regime came into power, the country’s debt profile stood at N12.12tn.

This means that within a period of five years, the nation’s debt profile rose by N18.89tn.

Click on this link to read more >> https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/how-nigeria-borrowed-n18-89tn-under-buhari-report/

Some weeks ago, foriegn shipping companies led by Maersk Line, a multi-national shipping company and the leading foreign shipping line in Nigeria, wrote the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) and other shipping sector stakeholders, informing them of their decision to impose what they called Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) on Nigeria-bound cargoes with effect from September 1, 2020.

The other foreign shipping lines that followed Maersk Line‘s footsteps, in slamming the surcharges, are Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) and French Container Transportation and Shipping Company, CMA CGM with Head Office in Marseilles, France.

Imposition of peak season surcharge and other excessive charges on Nigerian bound cargoes are not new as the shipping line has been doing that for decades. But this time what the companies wanted Nigerian shippers to pay was so astronomical that the Nigerian shipping community had to raise alarm. The Nigerian Shippers Council had led the coalition of stakeholders in not only rejecting it, but also mobilized action against the proposed freight hike.

Click on this link to read more >> https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/peak-season-surcharge-foreign-shipping-companies-and-many-years-of-impunity-by-business-and-maritime-west-africa/

A report by Dryad Global indicates that a reefer vessel, WATER PHOENIX IMO:9045168 was attacked by pirates today in Lagos Anchorage Area.

The vessel was approached and boarded by an unknown number of persons resulting in the kidnap of two crew. The crew members are believed to both be Russian nationals. One of those kidnapped is believed to be the vessel master. The vessel had a crew of 18 including 7 Russians and 11 Filipino.

Read More >>> https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/pirates-attack-vessel-in-lagos-anchorage-area-kidnap-2-russian-seafarers/

By Okey Ibeke

An international magazine, The Maritime Executive, has exposed how APM Terminals is collaborating with a French owned seaport development and terminal handling giant, Bollore, to divert the Nigeria’s cargo tran-shipment business with landlocked West African countries to ports in Cote d’Ivoire.

In line with the plan, a consortium between APM Terminals and Bolloré has signed contracts with the China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) for the construction of Abidjan’s second container terminal, known as Côte d’Ivoire Terminal (CIT). The Cote d’voires’ Ports Authority’s planned ultra-modern second container terminal is billed start to operations at the end of 2021.

APM Terminals expects that with the additional capacity provided by CIT, the terminal and the Port of Abidjan will position itself as a preferred gateway for surrounding landlocked countries such as Chad, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

Most of the cargoes destined to these countries are currently routed through Nigerian seaports.

The terminal operator believes the terminal’s strategic location on the West African coast combined with the ability to handle larger new-generation ships of up to 14,000 TEU and 350m in length, will make the terminal an attractive solution as a trans-shipment hub.
Read More >> https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/how-apm-terminals-is-collaborating-with-bollore-to-divert-nigerias-cargo-trans-shipment-business-to-cote-divoire/

By Izuchukwu Ozoemena

ENL Consortium Ltd, operators of terminals C and D of Apapa port says it has no plans to lay off staff. This clarification, it says, has become necessary following news that many terminal operators have been retrenching staff as part of efforts to contain the negative effects of the Covid 19 pandemic.

Read More >> https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/we-have-no-plans-to-retrench-staff-says-enl-consortium/

By Izuchukwu Ozoemena

Violators of inland waterway protocols on safety of navigation stand to be seriously sanctioned henceforth in line with punishments enshrined in the NIWA enabling Act.

The Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Dr George Muoghalu disclosed this in Lagos, Wednesday. He was speaking at a one-day stakeholders’ sensitization forum organized by the inland waterways regulator following incessant cases of boat accidents which have claimed many lives in different parts of Nigeria in recent months.

Read more >> https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/niwa-bares-fangs-vows-to-prosecute-violators-of-waterways-safety-protocols/

Okey Ibeke

One of the major issues that are likely to occupy the mind of the newly inaugurated Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is how to return Nigeria to Category C of the IMO Council seat. Nigeria’s four consecutive attempts to get re-elected into the Council ended in failures, the last being the last November loss.

To regain the seat, it is pertinent that the new leadership in NIMASA should do things differently. It must adopt a different approach to the IMO Council seat. This different approach must entail ensuring that all the IMO regulations, stipulations, directives and expectations are satisfied in order to earn the deserved recognition, and thereby prepare the country to bid and get elected into the Council without much ado.

Industry operators are optimistic that with NIMASA being led by a person adjudged to be a true professional, someone who has had over three decades of experience of the industry, things will be done differently, and in line with the core mandate of the agency. For many years, maritime industry stakeholders have been yearning for a maritime professional or technocrat, “a home boy” who knows the nitty-gritty of the problems besetting the nation’s maritime sector and what must be done to remedy them, in order for Nigeria to take up its position in the comity of nations. Now they have such a person in Bashir Jamoh. With Jamoh leading the apex maritime regulatory agency, they expect that all the mistakes, negligence and haphazard implementation of statutory responsibilities would be swiftly redressed.

Click on this link to continue reading https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/bashir-jamoh-nimasa-imo-regulations-and-its-council-seats/

By Okey Ibeke and Enyeribe Anyanwu

In The Begining

In 2006, right from the day AP Moller took over the operation of Apapa Container Terminal, the biggest container terminal in West Africa, and the second biggest in Africa, it did not leave anyone in doubt that it had a raw deal for Nigeria and users of its services. The first thing the Dutch company did on taking over the terminal was to slam astronomical tariffs increase on the port users.

The sharp and arbitrary increase hit the port users so hard as they were not expecting such tariffs increases so soon, especially after all the assurances of government, represented by NPA, that the concession would not increase the cost of port services. This action by the concessionaire was particularly shocking because it ran contrary to the concession agreement the company had just signed with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the federal government.

Few days before the handover of the port terminals to private operators, the then Managing Director of NPA, Chief Adebayo Sarumi, who presided over the entire port concession, had told the press that all the new terminal operators including AP Moller had agreed to use NPA cargo handling tariffs for their operations. “Concession agreement does not give the concessionaires or private terminal operators the right to review tariff rates, rather the present NPA cargo handling tariff is to be used by them. But if any of them wants an upward review of its charges, they must wait for the Transport Commission to be constituted to attend to their requests”, he had stressed.

Click on this link to continue reading https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/apapa-port-how-npa-punctured-ap-mollers-balloon-of-impunity/

In a bid to have a world-class Ship Registry and enhance the Ease of Doing Business in the maritime sector, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has concluded plans to set up an automated ship registration process through online and electronic procedure. The Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, stated this recently in Lagos at an interactive session with shipowners.

The forum discussed how to improve the quality of the Nigerian Ship Register, with stakeholders promising to support the initiative. They specifically pledged to fund the ship registration automation process.

Dakuku told the stakeholders that the Agency had acquired software licence for the automation of the Nigerian Ship Registry, which is rated by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) as the second largest in Africa, by tonnage, after Liberia, and 46th in the world. He said automation was the only way to boost the worth of the registry and quicken business processes.

Continue Reading >>> https://businessandmaritimewestafrica.com/nigeria-plans-automated-online-ship-registration-procedure/