The Nation Newspaper

Category: Maritime

  • Lawmaker seeks seafaring training for Lagos youths

    The Presidential Amnesty Office and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) have been urged to involve more youths from Lagos State in the agency’s seafarers’ training to prepare them for the future.

    The Chairman, House Committee on Legislative Compliance, representing Oshodi/Isolo Constituency1, Area of the state, Mr Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, said there were many job opportunities in the maritime sector, lamenting that they are not open to some youths in the state because they lack the training.

    He was speaking at the empowerment programme he organised for over 2,000 youths in the area.

    The call, he said, became necessary considering the “army of jobless youths roaming the streets of Lagos,” urging the Federal Government and NIMASA to reverse the trend.

    The lawmaker said Lagos has the highest jobless youths in the country and urged NIMASA to help alleviate the problem by involving the youth in its seafarers’ training.

    NIMASA, he said, approved the National Assembly to train youths to become qualified seafarers in various universities across the world, so as to fill in the existing knowledge gap in the maritime sector.

    He bemoaned a situation where the youths from the state were neglected in the overseas raining programme embarked by NIMASA at the expense of their colleagues from the Niger Delta region under the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP).

    He said one way Nigeria could bridge the gap in the requirement of indigenous professionals in the maritime sector is for the government to develop capacity in the field by sending youth across the 36 states abroad for training.

  • ANLCA kicks against extension of service providers’ contracts

    The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) is mobilising its members against the extension of service providers’ contracts at the seaports, it has emerged.

    Sources close to the group told The Nation that the association’s leadership has directed its members at the sea-ports and borders to withdraw their services, if the Federal Government extends the firms’ contracts beyond June.

    The group, a source said, took the decision when it learnt that the six-month extension is the first step towards renewing the service providers’ contracts either “as Destination Inspection or Pre-Shipment Inspection agents.”

    ANLCA, the source said, is worried about the amount of money the service providers are making compared to their services.

    The operation took the position after a four-man delegation from the World Bank visited the terminal operators and shipping companies and got an impression that the Customs is a haven of corruption.

    It was, however, gathered that the freight forwarders supported the Customs to take over the scheme because the inspection agents have not lived up to the terms of their contracts.

    “The delegates were like advisers to the Federal Government. They asked probing questions on if Customs can take over because obviously they have some information at their dispossal, but we have told them that if the Federal Government refuses to terminate the contract, we will shut the port by July 1,” the source said.

    Also, ANLCA, it was learnt, has vowed that it would not negotiate with the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN until the case with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Offences Commission (ICPC) is excluded.

    ANLCA National President Prince Olayiwola Shittu told The Nation that ANLCA is appreciative of moves to resolve the face-off, but is insisting on ICPC clearing the association’s leaders before any reconciliation.

    The Acting Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Mr Hassan Bello, had appealed to ANLCA to work towards the early resolution of the crisis. He made the appeal when he received Shittu and other leaders who ANLCA visited him at the Council’s corporate head office in Apapa, Lagos.

    But, Shittu insisted that since CRFFN took ANLCA to ICPC, there cannot be any discussion until the issues raised are sorted out.

    “They reported us to ICPC, but there cannot be any further discussion until the ICPC issues are resolved. We didn’t go there. They did.” Shittu said.

  • Trawler owners condemn terminal concessioning

    The Nigerian Fish Trawlers Owners Association (NITOA) has condemned the Federal Government’s plan to concession the Kirikiri Lighter Terminal (KLT) in Lagos. It appealed to Nigerians to prevail on the government to stop the move.

    The plan, NITOA said, was unhealthy to fishing.

    Speaking with The Nation, its President, Mr Joseph Overo, said it was improper to import bulk and general cargoes to the same port where edible goods are being handled.

    The KLT, he said, was built for handling of fishing and other lighter commodities and not for bulk and general cargoes.

    “Our association is having a lot of issues; one with NPA on the privatisation or concessioning of the Kirikiri Lighter Terminal. KLT was declared as a fishing terminal that is KLT 1 and 2, which was earmarked as fishing terminals, but NPA wants to enter into a concession agreement with some private firms.

    “They said they want to develop the place, which is solely for fishing terminal. They said they want to bring in other kind of business which I must say, is not proper,” he said.

    He said fishing terminals were run by the government, adding that it is improper to bring goods and chemicals to such terminal. According to him, it is contrary to the laws that guide fishing operations.

    “We are regulated by international laws, which are the European Union (EU) and the United States (US). We don’t do the kind of business in an environment where contaminated items are and contaminated goods are a major factor. When creating a fishing terminal with tank farms and cement and wheat silos all over the place, then you are creating problems for the fishing business in the country,” he warned

    “We told them that terminals of such are government properties and they should be run as government properties.

    “They called us for a stakeholders’meeting on the development on February 4, when we told them that such things are not done that way, but they said they would come back to us,” he said.

  • Firms fleecing govt of N47b yearly, freight forwarders allege

    Firms fleecing govt of N47b yearly, freight forwarders allege

    ARE service providers at the ports milking the Federal Government of N47 billion yearly? Yes, they are, says the All Freight Forwarders Congress (AFFCON), which has petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan.

    In the petition, AFFCON alleges that the money which is paid as commission is not worked for by the service providers.

    The commission, the petitioners alleged, is not referred to Customs for verification to ascertain if the service providers worked for the money in line with the terms of their contracts.

    The N47 billion accrues from the one per cent the service providers collect on all cargoes that arrive at the port.

    The group said the government is losing revenue because the Finance Ministry did not specifically tie the commission to the services providers’ performance of their duty.

    The freight forwarders alleged that the amount paid to the service providers in the last seven years was a waste of public funds.

    The service providers are COTECNA, GLOBAL SCAN SYSTEM and SGS.

    According to AFFCON, there is an attempt by some of the firms to sabotage the Customs’ efforts to take over the Destination Inspection (DI) at the expiration of their contract in June.

    The risk managers have the mandate to provide infrastructure and render services in the following areas: scanning services; training of Customs officers; provision and maintenance of Information Communication Technology; risk management – classification, valuation, rules of origin and the issuance of risk assessment report.

    Their engagement is on Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis.

    Accusing the firms of insincerity, the group said they are not ready to cede their responsibility to the Customs at the expiration of their extended contract in June.

    They urged the President to invoke Sections 5 (1) (a) and 171 (1) and (2d) of the 1999 Constitution to protect the public interest and save the seaports from “an army of occupation acting under the guise of service providers.”

    In a February 22 letter, the association’s Secretary-General, Mr Increase Uche, said the percentage of fees usually paid to the service providers should be increased to two per cent and converted to Police Trust Fund to boost security.

    He alleged that two of the firms failed the country during the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) regime at the ports, wondering why seven years after, the government extended their contract based on allegations that the Customs not prepared for their job.

    “We must remark that it is a colossal waste the amount of money paid as commission to the service providers who ordinarily maintain a staff strength of not more than 500. It is a fact that they may not be picking anything less than N47 billion per annum. Whereas the Nigeria Customs Service with a staff strength of well over 19,000 is left to manage and administer the core function of the service and its personnel with an average of N30 nillion per annum,” Uche said.

  • 41 seafarers graduate

    41 seafarers graduate

    The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has said its seafarers training programme is yielding results as many Nigerians have been trained abroad by the agency under the Nigerian Seafarers Development (NSD) programme.

    The Director-General of the agency, Patrick Akpobolokemi, who spoke at a reception organised for th first batch 41 students sponsored by NSD in Lagos.

    He said the agency has set up a Joint Technical Committee on Indigenous Capacity Building Development with ISAN to work with local ship owners to encourage them to do business in the country.

    He said 21 vessels were waiting for repairs, adding that they would be inspected by ship surveyors before being taken to ship yards for repairs.

    He said the cost of repairs would be borne by the agency, noting that conditions for repayment would be discussed at the next meeting of the committee.

    The NIMASA helmsman said no single hull vessel would be repaired because they have been phased out by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

    Akpobolokemi said the agency would only handle double hull vessel.

    He listed the benefiting firms to include AG Butler Nigeria, Japaul Oil and Maritime Limited, Morlap, Shipping, Jevkom Oil and Gas, Niger Delta Shipping, Peacegate Oil and Gas, Rangk, Peace gate Oil and Gas, Niger Delta Shipping, Rangk and Lenimar Ocean Trawlers Limited.

    Others are Phenix Associates Limited, DLB Marine Sevices Limited Seabulk Offshore, West Africa Offshore, Miden systems Limited, Pramara Shipping, Kotram, Intergreted Services Limited and Intergreted services Limited.

    He stressed that NIMASA had awarded contract for the survey of the vessels to ensure that they are commercially viable before they are repaired.

    His words: “We want to have control of the shipyards where the vessels would be repaired and the agency has the right to determine where the vessels would be repaired.”

    The NIMASA boss also assured that there would be transparency when executing the project, adding that it only those who are qualified would benefit.

  • Shippers’ Council seeks commercial status

    Acting Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Shippers’ Council (NSC) Mr Hassan Bello has urged the Federal Government to appoint the council as the commercial regulator of the ports.

    Bello told The Nation that if not for the council’s intervention, the arbitrary charges by concessionaires would have led to an increase in the cost of doing business at the ports.

    The Shippers Association of Lagos State has also urged the government to make the NSC maritime regulator.

    Its Secretary-General, Mr Jonathan Nicol, said such appointment would allow the council to regulate the activities of shipping companies, terminal operators and prosecute defaulters.

    He said the NSC was set up without a law to empower it to prosecute maritime offenders, adding that this omission had brought about corruption in the sector.

    “For the Shippers’ Council to perform its statutory functions effectively, it must be upgraded to a Nigerian Shippers Commission, with all the enabling laws and not just on advisory capacity.

    “The industry deserves this status because of its large input to the economy.

    “The Nigerian Shippers should not be marginalised in their own industry, but should have permanent membership, participate in the management and dispensation of maritime duties within the Nigerian Shippers’ Council’s Board,’’ he said.

    He said the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) was set up to arrest and prosecute offenders, saying that such power should be given to the NSC in the maritime industry.

    “ Until this is done for the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, maritime laws will be blatantly violated by stakeholders and they would go scot free, as it is today,’’ he said.

    Also the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) urged the government to appoint the council as commercial regulator of ports in the country.

    President of the association, Mr Eugene Nweke, made the call in Lagos.

    He said the call became necessary because both the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) were occupied with other activities.

    “If you look at the agencies clamouring to transform into a port commercial regulator, you need to look at them either in terms of their track record or their commitment and involvement in the sector.

    “When you look at the position of NIMASA – NIMASA at present is saddled with a lot of tasks, looking at that Act that established it.

    “NIMASA having much in its hand cannot be a commercial regulator in the industry.

    “NPA has out-sourced the aspect of terminal management to the new ports operators and they are into agreement with the terminal operators. So, they cannot aid and abet at the same time. So, in that case, NPA is out of it.”

    Nweke said the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) could not play that role because it was not stated in its provisions.

    The freight forwarder said with the design of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Act, it could not be a port regulator, but could play a part of lead agency when it comes to issue that borders on revenue to government.

    He said the Shippers’ Council was close to it looking at the Act that established and gave it the power to represent the interest of the shippers.

    Nweke said the Act was meant to ensure that the cost of doing business by the shippers was not too much for them to be out of business.

  • Maritime expo coming

    A former President, Nigerian Trawlers Owners Association of Nigeria (NITOA), Mrs Margaret Onyema-Orakwusi, has said there is need for the government to open up the sector.

    Briefing reporters in Lagos on the forthcoming international maritime conference and exhibition in Nigeria, Mrs Onyema-Orakwusi, said the group is optimistic that the industry would experience significant growth in the year.

    NIMAREX, she said, is not resting on its oars as they have a public-private partnership in place to open up the sector and spearhead a silent revolution, which will yield fruits in the year.

    She also said the Presidential Committee set up last year by President Goodluck Jonathan to chart a roadmap for the industry had concluded its assignment. adding that the Committee’s recommendations would be implemented by the President soon.

    This year’s event is entitled: Nigerian maritime: Invest now.

     

  • Tighten ports security

    The Federal Government has been urged to give greater attention to security at the ports, especially the Tin Can Port, Lagos where touts and ‘port rats’ are disturbing people.

    In an interview with The Nation, the Chairman, Maritime Risk and Management, Mr Johnson Ebenezer, said over 500 unwanted persons enter the port daily despite the recent efforts by Customs.

    Ebenezer said the call became necessary because the sector is seen as the second largest source of revenue for the country after the oil and gas industry.

    Besides, he said multinationals and others who invest in the maritime industry, pay huge revenue in form of taxation or duties and import charges into the Federal Government account.

    He said poor facilities, incessant sea piracy and insecurity at the ports could scare away massive investment from the country and hamper ports operations.

    Managing Director, Sea Solution, Mr Benjamin Rapheal, said importers were not left out of the menace as many of them have aslo suffered.

    He said the access roads to and within the ports and insecurity are some of the major problems that need to be addressed by President Goodluck Jonathan if the Federal Government intends to sustain investment growth in the sector.

    “The high level of insecurity in the nation’s seaports has become so widespread that every importer must have at one time or the other experienced losses arising from theft within or on the roads that lead to the ports. As a businessman, who has travelled outside the country, I think it is not too much to ask the government to wake up to its responsibilities,” he added.

     

     

     

  • CRFFN crisis irks shippers

    The Nigerian Shippers Council has intervened in the face-off between the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) and leaders of some freight forwarding associations.

    Its Acting Executive Secretary, Mr Hassan Bello, said he would be happy if the disagreements among freight forwarding practitioners over CRFFN transaction fee collection is resolved.

    Bello made the appeal when the President, Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agent (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu and members of the association visited him in his office.

    He urged ANCLA to display leadership qualities and ensure that it rally other freight forwarders to resolve the crisis.

    The Shippers Council boss said: “I challenge ANLCA to show its leadership role in the council so that the reasons it was set up for training and retraining, for positioning of our freight forwarding practice and aligning it with global best practices is realised.

    “I think you have a role to play in that organisation so we call on you to work hand in hand with the council and other freight forwarding organisations so that the dream of the Nigerian Shipper’s Council is realised.

    “I am aware that the reason the Act was set up was for us to align our practice with international best practices, paperless transactions, training and retraining freight forwarders, we don’t want this profession to be invaded by quacks, we need a people who can stand to negotiate with international service providers and for that we have seen the growth of ANLCA, we are very proud of you.”

    Responding, the ANLCA chief expressed optimisms that the matter would be resolved soon and that a roundtable meeting would soon be called to resolve issues.

    He explained that the association is discussing with other sister freight forwarding associations and trying to resolve the crisis.

    Shittu also expressed the hope that the matter would soon be resolved and that a roundtable meeting would soon be called to resolve issues.

    Bello, however, lamented the recurring arbitrary charges in the industry by shipping companies and terminal operators. He called on the Federal Government to address the situation.

     

  • ‘Nigeria loses N2tr to foreigners yearly’

    Nigeria loses about N2 trillion yearly to foreign vessels operating in the country, the Indigenous Ship Owners Association of Nigeria (ISAN) has said.

    Besides, its General Secretary, Captain Niyi Labinjo, said only about 60 of the 600 vessels in the upstream sector of the oil and gas industry are owned by indigenous operators.

    He told The Nation that a vessel in offshore operations makes a minimum of $5,000 daily. This, according to him, is the least amount made by a foreign vessel doing business in the nation.

    He said: “We have plenty of hydrocarbons. As at today, it is 37 billion barrels, but our government is working towards making it 40 billion barrels. That is our proven reserve. We are said to be the 10th world producer of oil. The world uses 84 million barrels of oil per day; Nigeria produces 2.5 million barrels every day. For gas, we have 24 trillion reserves.

    “Nigeria has close to 500 oil wells. For each well, there is a rig, which is supported by a minimum of five ships, and they are called oil support vessels.”

    “We have the best shrimps in the world called tiger shrimps. That is why you have very many Indian fishing companies in Nigeria. All the tiger shrimps are exported. We import every five million metric tonnes of cargo and 100 million metric tonnes of goods. We also import 65 million litres of petroleum products every year.”