Don’t scrap Secured Anchorage Area, say Maritime operators

Our Reporter

Maritime industry operators have cautioned against attempts to scuttle the Secured Anchorage Area (SAA) in the Lagos Port operated by indigenous firm Ocean Marine Securities Limited (OMSL).

According to them, such a move will expose the nation’s waterways to piracy and lead to massive economic losses, especially for ship owners and operators.

They appealed to Ministry of Transportation, Nigeria Port Authority (NPA), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and other agencies in the sector, to amicably resolve the controversy over the operations of OMSL. The operators said OMSL has performed creditably as attested to by the National Assembly Joint Committees.

They faulted Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, who indicated that the Federal Government, has approved $195million for training of personnel to secure the waterways by an Israeli company, Messrs HLSI Security Systems and Technologies. They said the move ran contrary to clamour for the use of local firms.

The operators said OMSL has invested not less than $400million in procurement of vessels for the service, and it has a working relationship with the Nigerian Navy.

President of the Ship Owners Association of Nigeria (SOAN), Dr McGeorge Onyung, said:  ”OMSL is providing a service for which we are benefiting and we have taken a position with the Senate in a public hearing and that position is that, they are doing a good job and the Senate agreed with us.

“That’s our position, they have put an investment of $400million in a shipping domain where we are still struggling in financing kits and so on.

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“We should not allow such business to die because if it does, so many people will be out of work and the progress we have made in shipping development will be lost.”

Dr. Onyug added: “Security is security, the aim is to make sure that our waters are secured and I don’t think it is what only Ocean Marine can do and I want to say categorically Ocean Marine is not the only company that is providing security arrangement for oil servicing industries with an arrangement with the Nigerian Navy.

“There are many other security agencies that have same arrangement with the Navy. It’s not only Ocean Marine that has that arrangement so I can’t see why they cannot allow all the security agencies involved to work together.”

Chief Executive Officer of First Planet Energy, Kennedy Rhima, said the continuous engagement of Ocean Marine Solution Limited will bring about the safety and security of vessels in the Lagos Pilotage district.

He called for closer collaboration between the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Nigerian Navy and other stakeholders on the issue.

Rhima said any attempt to stop the security services being provided by Ocean Marine Solution could spell doom for ships calling at the Lagos ports.

The safety and security of both vessels and personnel manning these vessels should be the goal of parties involved.

“I will urge Captain Hosa Okunbo to liase with the relevant agencies involved and straighten whatever needs to be straightened.”