The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has restated its commitment to providing safety and security in the nation’s maritime industry.
Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh made the pledge while addressing journalists, including representatives of the National Association of Online Security Reporters (NAOSRE), in Lagos on Friday.
He disclosed that the apex maritime regulatory agency’s commitment to safety and security has been demonstrated through the 43.6% increase in inspection of ships, which is in accordance with the safety requirements of the Merchant Shipping Act 2007.
“We have an administrative routine of surveying ships every month. It is all part of our commitment to safety and security. In year 2020, we surveyed 276 ships. But in 2021, the figures doubled. We surveyed 489 ships,” the agency boss stated.
According to the NIMASA DG, the routine survey is an indication of management’s seriousness to ensure that each vessel maintains safety, pollution standards while in the ports and Nigerian waters.
Dr. Jamoh also disclosed that the agency is perfecting plans to privatise the moribund modular floating dockyard using Public Private Partnership (PPP), adding that the floating dock will be operational before the end of first quarter of 2022.
He noted that the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), that provides the continental shipyard, is a co-partner in the project.
In his wor ds: “We have been undergoing this process, and the DG ICRC was here for the first certificate, telling us that privatisation of the floating dock is profitable, doable and they gave us the go-ahead to do that.
“We have also gone ahead with the Managing Partner and co partner, which is the Nigerian Ports Authority NPA, with the provision of Continental Shipyard.”
Comment here