The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Maritime

  • ‘Why ports are less competitive’

    A maritime expert, Mr. Lucky Amiwero has blamed poor organisation and low capacity for maritime sector’s slow growth. This, he said, had made the country’s ports less competitive.

    Amiwero, the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA) President, in a chat with The Nation, said over 9,000 jobs had been lost in the industry.

    He listed low draft, poor port infrastructure, lack of proper operating system and politicisation of key maritime positions, which should have been held by experts, as causes of declining fortunes.

    He blamed the government for much emphasis on revenue collection without making the port environment business friendly to attract investments and generate employments that will grow the economy.

    According to him, Nigeria’s highest draft of 13meters is not deep enough to accommodate bigger vessels with 20,000 TEUs while smaller neighbouring countries like Cameroun, Togo and Benin Republic have ports with depth of 16meters.

    This, according to him, has threatened Nigeria’s quest for a regional hub port status as the smaller countries with lesser cargo throughput are taking away almost all benefits Nigerian citizens should enjoy.

    He added that aside freight components being lost, the trans-shipment of cargoes from a port owner country to land locked neighbours is being enjoyed by other countries while Nigeria is losing out.

    He described lack of functional scanners at the ports as a serious setback, capable of exposing the country to risk of arms smuggling under the destination inspection regime.

    On the deplorable state of ports access roads in the country,  Amiwero blamed the Federal Government for poor response to the challenge, which according to him, has resulted in loss of lives and damage to import and export consignments.

    “The roads are so bad that you can’t predict when you access the ports. You can’t even say when your cargo can exit the port.

    “This is a neglected function of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) under Section 32A of its act.  It has the responsibility of working on port access roads, dredging of channels leading to the ports and fairway buoy

    “But what we have today, is that they are deviating from their core functions to pursue revenue collection.’’

    On the government’s drive for Ease of Doing Business in the port, he rated the government’s performance as very low and decried Nigeria’s position as number 184 among 190 countries on trading across borders.

  • Maritime industry to grow by 5% this year

    Maritime industry stakeholders have projected positive growth for the sector if the Federal Government pays adequate attention to it this year, Correspondent OLUWAKEMI DAUDA reports.

    The Nigerian Maritime industry has been projected to grow from 2.5  to five per cent this year. This growth, according to stakeholders,  will result in hiring more maritime services in the course of the year. The growth period, they said, will  cover  the 2019 general elections and  the post-election era.

    The projection is contained in the Nigerian maritime industry forecast for 2018/2019 unveiled in Lagos by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Director-General, Dr. Dakuku Peterside.

    The forecast showed that Nigerians should expect total fleet size to grow by 4.41 per cent this year.

    According to Peterside, the outlook is the key parameter that will drive the maritime industry. He highlighted some other key drivers of the sector as geographic factor, availability of skilled labour force, an efficient and effective regulatory environment, manpower and human capacity development, maritime infrastructural development, globalisation and new technology, among others.

    The projection also revealed that oil tanker fleet size will increase by 1.7 per cent during the period under consideration, while the non-oil tanker fleet size is expected to attain 8.72 per cent this year.

    Peterside, who underscored the role  being played by the maritime sector, said it’s a propeller in the exploitation, distribution and exportation of the nation’s ocean resources, with a total annual freight cost estimated at between $5 billion and $6 billion annually. He said the maritime component of the Nigerian oil and gas industry is worth an estimated $8 billion, which further reflected the prominence of maritime to the Nigerian economy.

    “As a regulator, we are driven by values and commitment, as these are the only ways that investors can be attracted to harness the great potential in our maritime sector. On our part, we will continue to work out incentives and maritime sector specific interventions to attract investments,” Peterside said.

    He said the forecast reviewed developments in the industry in 2017; showed expected international and local developments in policy and regulatory environment for the maritime sector last year and this year and also takes a look at emerging opportunities and challenges for the maritime industry. He added that all were done with the sole aim of realising a robust and business friendly maritime domain that will also create avenues for economic prosperity.

    Peterside identified five bills undergoing legislative processes in the National Assembly as key regulatory developments in the maritime industry that will affect the maritime sector this year.

    These are the Anti-Piracy Bill; the establishment of the Maritime Development Bank; Inland Fisheries Amendment Bill; the Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contract Amendment Bill and the Cabotage Act Amendment Bill 2017.

    He said when passed into law, they will help realise the dream of making Nigeria the maritime hub in Africa this year.

     

    Capacity building

    NIMASA, according to the DG, made significant progress, especially in human capacity building last year.

    More substantial progress, he said, needs to be made by the agency this year, in ship regulation, security, port administration and operations, among other skills development, which are related to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) requirement.

     

    NIMASA DG urged to make shipping a viable alternative to oil and gas money

    NIMASA’s Director-General, according to stakeholders, took the right step in repositioning the maritime security landscape last year, and they urged him to continue with the laudable plan this year.

    To former President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu, NIMASA must continue to play a leading role in making shipping a viable alternative to the oil and gas money.

     

    Shippers Council and review of the concession agreement

    The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), according to stakeholders, needs government’s maximum support to carry out its role as economic regulator to make the ports attractive and competitive in the sub region.

    The NSC Executive Secretary, Mr Hassan Bello, according to stakeholders, has what it takes to carry out the necessary reforms in our ports and contribute to the on-going review of the concession agreement. To them, it is mandatory to have effective platform to make the ports attractive for business, eliminate arbitrary charges and boost government revenue this year.

     

    The Nigerian Ports Authority

    Last year’s aqcuisition of more than four 60-tonne buller-pull tug boats with state-of-the-art equipment and computerised engines by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), according to stakeholders, would boost efficiency and increase government’s revenue at the ports this year.

    The boats, whose engines were manufactured by Rolls Royce, were built by DAMEN Engineering, Netherlands, under IMO supervision. The boats, which worth over $30 million, are Mt Daura, Mt Ubima, Mt Uromi and Mt Majaya. In 2007, the NPA generated over N299 billion. Although, the figure for last year is yet to be released by the agency, but stakeholders projected that the agency can generate more than N350 billion this year if the shippers take their cargoes to the Eastern ports through the deployment of Flat Bottom Vessels (FBVs) in the area because of the low channels draught.

    The revenue is expected to come from traffic, harbour, administsra-tion and other sources from the ports.

    The NPA Managing Director Ms Hadiza Bala Usman  said the use of FBVs would be given attention as means of finding solution for the limitation in some shallow draught channels, especially in Calabar, and Warrifor ports.

    Usman recalled that a flat bottom 200-meter-long and 61,000MT heavy vessel berted in Calabar last year in spite of the draft limitation of the channel.

     

    Ports’ access roads

    The NPA has projected that the roads leading to the seaports in Lagos, Warri, Onne, Port Harcourt, Calabar, and Sapele would be fixed this year as they are currently impassable. Apart from the Wharf/Apapa road, which the NPA contributed N1.8 billion to fix last year, the remaining ports’ access roads have not attracted government’s attention in the last 10 years. Those leading to the Tin-Can Island ports in Lagos are so bad that some stakeholders have described it as a “shame to the nation.”

    The bad roads have constituted  nightmares to consignees, importers, exporters, freight forwarders and other port users, who use the roads to evacuate their goods.

    The roads are in sorry state as port users spend hours daily to access or exit the terminals hence, the  stakeholders are impressing it on the Federal Government and the NPA to fix the roads this year to meet their business aspiration.

     

    Cargo dwell time

    The NPA, importers said, must  ensure that cargo dwell time (CDT), which is the average time a cargo remains in the terminal from the point of discharge to point of exit, must improve significantly this year.

    The country, findings revealed, has the highest cargo dwell time in the Wet African sub-region.

    For instance, ANLCA Vice President, Dr Kayode Farinto said cargo dwell time in Cotonou port is 14 days, Ghana’s Tema port  is 15 days, while Lome has the lowest port time of nine days.

    He, however, said between 2011 and last year, dwell time in Lagos ports rose from 20 to 22 days.

    Importers and other clearing agents like him attributed the delay to lack of National Single Window (NSW) operation at the ports. But the Federal Government through the NPA has projected that the NSW platform would be unveiled this year to address the problem.

     

    Customs and provision of

     scanners

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), generated over N1.1billion last year, inspite of the fact that about 90 per cent of goods still goes through physical examination as against the use of mobile and fixed scanners.

    The Service has projected that mobile and fixed scanners will be provided this year to facilitate trade and boost efficiency at the ports.

    A clearing agent, Mr Segun Ogunsanu, said a lot of dirty deals  take place at ports and international land borders because the scanners are not available.

    The Service has also promised to intensify its anti-smuggling campaign this year to reduce criminali-ties at the ports and border stations and boost government revenue.

     

    Amaechi, Peterside urge to

    disburse CVFF

    The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and Peterside have projected the disbuirsment of the $124million (about N144.64 billion) Cabotage Vessel Finance Fund (CVFF) this year.

    Indigenous ship owners said they would be happy if they could access the Cabotage fund to grow their businesses this year.

    But a maritime lawyer, Dr Dipo Alaka said NIMASA cannot disburse the funds because it does not have the skill to recoup the money after its disbursement.

    “There is a difference between policy making and regulation. On business operations, NIMASA, unfortunately, is given some responsibilities that are best done by the private sector. So, when NIMASA raises those funds from the freight charges and others, it can nominate a bank and deposit the money there and it is the bank’s responsibility to draw the lending process because they have the skills, but when NIMASA  takes up the role of disbursing the funds, it has no capacity,” Alaka said.

     

    Stakeholders’ views

    To Dr Farinto, given the opportunity, the NPA Managing Director will make more progress.

    He specifically mentioned NPA’s review of the concession agreement with terminal operators.

    “Nigeria is not a force to be reckoned with when it comes to shipping because of its lapses but it’s being improved upon gradually. This year, efforts must be placed on and given to more effectiveness in the industry because it takes a lot of work to put in and less discussion should be done but action. “

     

    Unlocking maritime potential

    The industry, according to Farinto,  is key to the  economy. As an oil-producing and exporting country, as well as a consumer nation, the country has a large market for foreign goods, owing to its population. Thus, the industry holds the key to the nation’s growth.  To unlock the potential in this sector, policies and programmes that have  the capacity to boost the economy must be implemented.

    Concerted efforts, according to stakeholders, should be made to address the problems militating against the industry’s efficiency this year.

  • Smooth sailing amid turbulence

    Stakeholders are praising the Federal Government for paying attention to the Maritime sector last year, reports Correspondent OLUWAKEMI DAUDA.

    Stakeholders in maritime have given kudos to the Federal Government, especially the Minister of Transport, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, for paying attention to an industry which freight is worth about $6 billion.

    They said  Amaechi, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Director-General, Dr Dakuku Peterside; the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Managing Director, Hadiza Bala Usman, Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) Executive Secretary, Mr Hassan Bello, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Comptroller-General, Col Hameed Ali and the National Inland Wateways (NIWA) Managing Director, Senator Olorunimbe Mamora, are round pegs in round holes.

     

    Gaps in the maritime sector

    In the year under review, Amaechi and the five heads of the maritime agencies, the stakehold-ers said, did their best to ensure that the sector’s potential were realised. The officers, they added, initiated policies, which attracted local and international investors.

     

    NIMASA and the maritime industry forecast

    Stakeholders and operators described the forecast released by  Peterside in the first quarter of last year as a very good.

    The forecast, they said, prepared  how developments on the international scene would affect the maritime last year and this year.

    The forecast, according to a lecturer at the Lagos Business School, Dr. Doyin Salami, was essential tools for growing an industry. He urged investors, local and international to take the forecast serious to grow their businesses.

    The forecast, the first in the sector, will serve as a roadmap for those hoping to do business in the maritime domain.

    A university don and maritime lawyer, Mr Dipo Alaka, said the forecast highlights key drivers of the sector, such as geographic factor, availability of skilled labour force, an efficient and effective regulatory environment, manpower and human capacity development, maritime infrastructural development, globalisation and new technology, among others.

    Also,  the Abuja Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Secretary-General, and NIMASA former Director-General, Mrs. Mfon Usoro. Usoro, a lawyer, commended the forecast, saying it would move the sector forward.

    She observed that the increased presence of NIMASA in the West and Central Africa sub-regions  indicates that the leadership of the agency was on course.

    Highlights of the forecast  are: the maritime is projected to grow by 2.5 – five per cent; there will be more demand  for maritime services in Nigeria; total fleet size will grow by 4.08 per cent in 2018 and 4.41 per cent in 2019; oil tanker fleet size will decrease by 2.23 per cent in 2018 and increase by 1.7 per cent in 2019; non-oil tanker fleet size will increase by 8.15 per cent in 2018 and 8.72 per cent  in 2019 and the oil rig count will increase by 27.67 per cent in 2018 and 0 per cent in 2019.

    Speaking with The Nation, Peterside said: “As a regulator, we are driven by values and commitment, as these are the only ways that investors can be attracted to harness the great potential in our maritime sector. On our part, we will continue to work out incentives and maritime sector specific interventions to attract investments.”

    Critical to the realisation of the projections in the forecast, Peterside said, are some bills now in the National Assembly. These include the Anti-Piracy Bill, the establishment of the Maritime Development Bank, Inland Fisheries Amendment Bill, the Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contract Amendment Bill and the Cabotage Act Amendment Bill 2017.

    “All these, if passed to Law, will help realise the dream of making Nigeria the maritime hub in Africa,” he said.

     

    Proposed Nigerian Maritime Data Bank

    Experts, lawyers and stakeholders also gave Peterside a pass mark for his policies and his call for the establishment of Nigerian Maritime Data Bank (NMDB).

    For instance, a senior official in the Federal Ministry of Transport (FMoT), who craved anonymity, said the country loses over N10 billion yearly to inaccurate data in the  industry.

    Peterside, the official said, wants the NMDB to become the official information source approved by the government in maritime.

    The vision of the NMDB, according to him, include the following: It will provide all information needed for decision makers and people interested in the maritime transport industry through the NMDB website.

    Other stakeholders said they supported the move by NIMASA to have a credible data bank and urged the agency to ensure that the nation’s ways are safe for business.

     

    Criticism

    International reports on piracy, and other criminal activities on the waterways, importers said, were not given the necessary attention by NIMASA. They called on Peterside to collaborate more with local and foreign agencies to tackle these menace.

     

    NPA in stakeholders’ eyes

    Operators and stakeholders in the industry said Ms Usman brought to the front burner the Apapa gridlock and the industry and ways to resolve them.

    The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Vice President, Dr Kayode Farinto, gave credit to Usman for the collaboration between the NPA, AG Dangote Construction Company Limited and Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc in fixing the road from Wharf/Apapa.

    Farinto, like other stakeholders and residents of Apapa, said they were happy over the completion of work on the Apapa-Wharf Concrete Road.

    With the completion of the road, ANCLA immediate past president, Prince Olayiwola Shittu and other stakeholders said it would end the gridlock on that side of the Apapa Road and boost the 48 hours cargo clearance policy of the government.

    “In September 2017, Hadiza  Usman had expressed displeasure with the slow pace of work by contractors handling the Apapa Road when she visited the construction site.

    “The two-kilometre road starts from the Lagos Port Complex, Apapa to Ijora Bridge end of Western Avenue.

    “During the visit, we remember that Usman insisted that the contractors needed to bring more equipment to site and increase the number of moles used to fast-track the completion of the road as specified in the terms of agreement with the Federal Government.

    “Today, we are happy that the action she took then and the assurance she gave to port users, truck owners/drivers and Apapa residents that the Federal Government, through the NPA, would see to the quick completion of the road to alleviate their suffering have yielded the positive result. It shows that the heads of our maritime agencies are round pegs in round holes,” Shittu said.

    Stakeholders also said they were happy over the quarterly stakeholders’ meeting she organised across the country. Apart from implementing the suggestions made by operators and stakeholders, they said the authority also introduced feedback mechanism to ensure transparency and efficiency in all the ports across the country.

    A motor vehicle importer, Mr Gboyega Emmanuel said the NPA helmsman has recorded significant achievements. Among her many achievements, he said, was the drive to ensure that operators were held accountable.

     

    Measures to boost business at port

    Importers and clearing agents said  to cut losses, increase international trade and boost the economy, the NPA introduced at the end of last year, some positive measures.

    Last year, NPA  directed shipping firms to deploy sweeper vessels to evacuate empty containers from the ports to clear the backlog within four months. The NPA also directed the shipping firms to use Onne Ports for such sweeper vessels.

    According to NPA, the measures will reduce the attendant financial burden that the congestion at the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports has brought on importers.

    The agency also said there would be an increase in rent-free period for cargoes housed in the terminals from  three free days before commencement of rent charges to 21 free days before commencement of rent charges for four months.

    Stakeholders said despite the gridlock in Apapa, NPA failed to make the port outside Lagos attractive for business and urged Usman to address the problem.

    NPA and other agencies, Shittu and other stakeholders said, must bring the issue of National Single Window to the front burner in the new year.

     

    Nigeria Customs Service

    The Nigeria Customs Service under Col. Ali Hameed (rtd) also recorded tremendous success, notwithstanding the slow growth in economic activities.

    As at last November, the service has generated has generated N1.1 trillion for the Federal Government and seized contraband worth more than N40 billion between January and November last year.

    Its Public Relations Officer, Mr. Joseph Attah broke the news at the end-of-the-year breakfast meeting in Lagos last year.

    “Our experiences in this outgoing year have shown that with robust stakeholder engagement, enhanced automation and strict implementation of the import and export guidelines, NCS can generate more revenue and effectively suppress smuggling to the barest minimum.

    Despite the huge cash it made for the country, Customs, stakeholders said, did not do enough last year in terms of efficiency and trade facilitation programme of the Federal Government.

     

    Shippers Council/ MAN

    collaboration

    The collaboration between the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) and the Manufacturer Association of Nigeria (MAN) to streamline export, import procedures at port, importers said, was a robust initiative of its Executive Secretary, Mr Hassan Bello.

    Bello said he took the initiative because export trade is important to the Federal Government in its effort in diversifying the economy.

    He said the economy needs to come out from an import dependent economy and encourage manufacturing.

    Findings revealed  that the Council is discussing with export inspection agents and the NSC to ensure that export trade is done seamlessly.

    He said: “The Nigerian Shippers Council will continue to support project and programmes that will improve port efficiency and reduce cost and simplified procedures and processes for the clearing of goods at the Nigerian ports.

    “We have been advocating for the automation of the port operational processes and procedures in line with best practices.

    “We remain neutral, unbiased, providing a level playing field for all. We are indeed a referee and umpire and will ensure that decision of vital issues in this port sector is arrived at through consensus, opinions of stakeholders.

    “We are talking about reduction of cargo dwell time at Nigerian Ports, Nigerian Shippers Council is also a member of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Committee on Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme, CISS, and our pre-occupation is the procurement of scanners at various Customs formations across fozr quick examination of cargoes.

    “Shippers’ Council has keyed in this project to ensure that export trade documentations are streamlined and reduced to the barest minimum.’’

    Shippers Council, stakeholders said, has put measures in place to reduce the cost of transportation.

    Steps taken by the NSC last year, importers, clearing agents and terminal operators said, were in tandem with international best practices.

    Stakeholders urged the NSC to resolve the legal issue between it, and the terminal operators to boost government revenue and make the port attractive for business in the new year.

     

    NIWA

    The appointment of Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora as NIWA  Managing Director was seen as a good step by the government.

    Stakeholders urged the Senator to live up to their expectations by repositioning the agency and ending the rift between NIWA and the Lagos State Government.

     

     

     

     

  • Maritime workers seek rail transport removal from Exclusive List

    The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has urged the Federal Government to remove rail transportation from the Exclusive Legislative List and add to the Concurrent List to attract private investments to the sector. This, they said, will enhance efficiency at the seaports.

    Speaking with The Nation, the union’s Assistant Secretary-General, Comrade Abudu Eroje, said the country was facing gridlock in Apapa because the ports were not connected to functional rail lines.

    According to him, aside the Lagos Ports Complex, Apapa, which has a rail system that is not working, none of the seaports in the country are connected to a rail system. This, he lamented, has made movement of cargoes in and out of the seaports a Herculean task, since it must be by road, with the attendant gridlock and additional cost.

    He said the gridlock being experienced in Apapa and environs will be a child’s play compared to what would be experienced in Badagry and Lekki when the two mega deep seaports become operational if they are not connected by rail

    “Nobody can talk of an efficient seaport operation without an efficient rail system to move goods in and out of the ports. Even if you repair all the roads in Apapa, there will still be gridlock because it will keep increasing until you connect the seaports to the rail systems so that cargoes will go out and come in any time of the day because the seaports operate 24 hours.

    “The best the Federal Government can do now is to remove the rail system from the exclusive legislative list and place same on the concurrent list so that state governments, even private investors, some of who are developing mega deep seaports, can invest in the rail sector, without which the nation’s seaports may never be efficient,” he said.

    On problems associated with the management of empty containers, he urged the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to convert the Lily Pond Container Terminal, Ijora, which he said, has the capacity to take over 12,000 containers to empty container depot to avoid containers littering everywhere on Lagos roads and streets.

    He argued that the transfer of some consignments to eastern ports, especially the Port Harcourt Port, as being canvassed by some people, might not address the challenge, saying that it will cost the importer over N2million to return one empty container to Lagos.

  • ‘Maritime can generate N3tr yearly’

    The Federal Government can make over N3trillion yearly from the maritime sector, if it is well structured, a top Federal Ministry of Finance official has said.

    The official, who asked not to be named, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to invest part of the money generated from the  sector because of  dwindling oil revenue. He said 30 per cent of the revenue generated from the Lagos Port Complex (LPC) and the Tin Can Island ports should be ploughed back into developing the seaports to international  standards.

    Speaking with The Nation after the visit of the Senate Committee to the Lagos ports last week, the official said there has been a reduction in the number of vessels calling at Lagos ports, saying the problem has to do with some policies on importation.

    “It would be recalled that in 2006, $1 exchanged for about N130, but today it is about N360 to a dollar, which implies a significant decline of about 70 per cent in the value of the national currency since port concession, and that is why the Minister of Transport needs to reposition the maritime sector,” he said.

    Customs alone, the official said, could generate about half of the money, if loopholes were blocked and if the government stops the abuse of the waiver clause.

    According to the official, the President should review import policies, especially the foreign exchange (forex) restriction on 41 items.

    Investigation by The Nation revealed that activities at the ports were still very low because of the exchange rate policy.

    For instance, findings revealed that activities at the RoRo Terminal at the Tin Can Island port in Lagos were still at their lowest ebb.

    The exchange rate and the auto policy have impacted negatively on importers, freight forwarders and revenue from government agencies.

    The official said in 2012, 11,380 vehicles were imported through the Lagos port, while 251, 375 came in through the Tin Can Island port in the same year.

    “The figure increased to 14, 422 and 280,057 at the Lagos Port Complex and Tin-Can Island ports respectively, in 2013,” he said.

    The figure dropped below 881 and 124,250 at each of the ports last year.

    The official attributed the low vehicles import to the exchange rate and the auto policy.

    “The Federal Government needs to diversify the economy by using the money generated from the ports to develop agriculture and other solid minerals to encourage exports so that the economy does not rely on oil export but diversified into other areas,” he said.

    The government, the official said, should also encourage Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) for new port projects to come up.

    He suggested that the auto policy should be simplified to improve port activities.

    “Otherwise, activities at the Port and Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML) renowned for vehicle imports would continue to drop. If this happens, Nigeria will conyinue to be losing about N800 million yearly from this source,” the shipper warned.

     

  • NIMASA hands over rescue helicopter to Navy

    The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) on Friday handed over its 16-seater AW149 Search and Rescue helicopter to the Nigeria Navy (NN) for better maritime domain security.

    The handover, according to NIMASA’s Executive Director Operations, Rotimi Fasakin, followed a directive from President Muhammadu Buhari that the helicopter which was acquired by NIMASA in 2007 be handed over to the NN.

    The Nation reports that the helicopter which was developed and produced principally by AgustaWesland, now Leonardo Helicopters, has twin engines and the capability to perform different roles such as Search and Rescue, VIP airlift, offshore transport, firefighting, maritime patrol, law enforcement, emergency medical service and disaster relief.

    Speaking at the Naval Air Base Ojo, Lagos, Friday evening, Fasakin noted that the aircraft, which could perform some military operations, had always been domiciled with the navy.

    He said although the navy always had operational control over it, with the presidential directive, all documents and other accessories of the helicopter would be handed over to the service.

    Fasakin said: “It has been a long journey. The helicopter was purchased by NIMASA in April 2007. Two years after its purchase, NIMASA entered into an MoU with the navy. Since then, both agencies have had strong partnership in safeguarding the nation’s maritime domain.

    “Ever since the aircraft was purchased, it has been under the operational management of the NN. The aircraft is also suited for a few military operations so, the president in his wisdom deemed it fit that NIMASA formally hands over to the navy and that is what we have done.

    “Since its acquisition, the RESCUE 1 has flown a total of 243 hours and 45 minutes. It has been successfully deployed for various operations.

    “The partnership with the NN has been very strong, effective, effectual and efficient. It has helped to give NIMASA the needed teeth to bite within the Nigeria maritime space. It has helped NIMASA carry out its constitutional mandates.”

  • NIMASA: maritime data deserves GDP slot

    The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has said the agency is pushing for a single data window system of all activities in the maritime sector to help engender the nation’s rapid economic growth.

    The DG, who spoke in Lagos yesterday at an interactive session with the media, said the maritime sector which provides over 100,000 direct jobs with multiplier effects of over two million jobs, deserves adequate mention in the statistics released monthly by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

    “We are pushing for a single data window system in the maritime sector, whereby NIMASA, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and other relevant government agencies in the sector will share a common platform for data on all vessels calling at our ports and the activities. This will make it easy for the National Bureau of Statistics to capture the contributions of the maritime sector and the GDP of the country to enable those who make use of the figures to grow the economy achieve better results,” he said.

    Speaking on the survey and inspection of vessels calling at Nigerian ports, he said that the fast intervention vessels the agency leased last year have led to an increase in Port, Flag and Coastal State control inspections, which he noted has increased by over 10.3, 33.3 and 27 per cent respectively in 2018 than the same period in the previous year.  This is just as the Agency has taken drastic action to ensure that substandard vessels do not ply and endanger our waters.

    “Nigeria is no longer conducive for substandard vessels, because they know that we are more vigilant and by this we are ensuring the protection of our environment. We are strict on enforcement of standards and the international fleet feels more comfortable with our maritime terrain”, the DG said.

    Commenting on the issue of placing beneficiaries of the Agency’s Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) onboard ocean going vessels for their mandatory sea-time training, he disclosed that currently a total number of 289 cadets have commenced their training in Egypt and the United Kingdom on NIMASA full sponsorship. He also used the opportunity to assure all beneficiaries of the scheme that the Agency will ensure they all complete their mandatory sea-time training in due course.

    He added that the agency is working with the IMO as technical partners to improve the quality of graduates from the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) Oron; this is to ensure that graduates from MAN, Oron and other maritime institutions are employable.

    Dr. Dakuku also said the agency is working with a shipping firm in the United Arab Emirates UAE to give 100 Nigerian Seafarers sea time training spread over 10 years.

    The NIMASA DG said the agency has been able to plug all loopholes through the automation of its processes, thereby curbing any form of corrupt practices. This, he said, has also assisted the agency to contribute substantially to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) of the Federal Government.

    While noting that ratings on transparency and accountability by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) shows NIMASA has improved tremendously, Dr Dakuku  said the target is to be amongst the first three government agencies in the next rating.

  • ‘Not many women excel in maritime sector ’

    Mrs. Ifeyinwa Anazonwu-Akerele is a former Director-General, Nigerian Chamber of Shipping (NCS) and a former President, Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA-Nigeria). In this interview with Omolara Akintoye, she recounts her experience as the pioneer DG of the Chamber vis-à-vis challenges, prospects and opportunities in the maritime subsector. 

    Unveiling Ifeyinwa-Akerele

    She is another female ship owner with remarkable strides in the sector. She was the first Director General of the Nigerian Chambers of Shipping (NCS), a platform that is being used for advocacy in the maritime sector and co-participation. As a sector that is male-dominated, the challenges are there, but Mrs. Ifeyinwa Akerele by virtue of her position has to ensure that people who have no knowledge of what goes on in the sector are not left in the dark.

    Transformation of maritime industry

    Looking back today, she recounts how those skills she had acquired contributed tremendously to her success as the pioneer DG of NCS. This started with the transforming of the chamber from a one-room office, into a key player in the maritime industry.

    Scroll down memory lane and the story begins with how she was saddled with the responsibilities of setting up an organisation that would facilitate indigenous participation in the Nigerian maritime industry, following the passage of the Cabotage law and for her to be able to perform excellently well. Happily, Akerele recalled how she had gone to study International Relations and Corporate Administration after obtaining a degree in Sociology from the University of Lagos to be able to overcome the challenges.

    “I love challenges; I love pioneering things; I’m one of such people who set up things, leave them and move on without looking back; knowing that they are growing well.”

    While expatiating on her foray in the maritime sector, she observed that “Politics makes sure that happens. Unfortunately, how many maritime people go into politics? So they are going to bring anybody into the sector to compensate for their hard work towards supporting a party. If they pull me in there what have I done for the party that will justify a “thank you”?”

    Pressed further, she recalled that before she got into the maritime sector, she had no clues of what the place was like. “I was in the administrative sector, I was into international relations, research and others, but I had the ability to co-ordinate. When I joined the Chamber, I had no clue of what the sector was like, but I educated myself. For two years, I did not speak on any issue because I did not want to say the wrong thing. I attended many courses; I exposed myself and read a lot online. After the second year, I was able to start talking, even present papers.

    “Once you have the ability in you, you will succeed. The important thing is that they are not there long enough. Some of their mistakes are caused by political push and sometimes they are sent on some kind of agenda, which I can’t explain. You can’t put a non-medical person to head Ministry of Health. But in the maritime sector, a good administrator can listen to expert advice and genuinely strive to understand the issues.”

    Excelling in a male-dominated sector

    Her passion for community development, advocacy sensitisation as well as anything that will improve the knowledge-based and activities within the maritime sector is something that she finds very appealing. Little wonder that Akerele passionately drove the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping (NCS) to the level it got to. She there for 11years and was able to make positive impact. As an advocacy champion, Akerele felt that from the position of power at the National Assembly, she would be able to push a lot of bills and legal focus on the areas that were neglected. That is what pushed me out of the Chamber; she wanted to take the relevance of the Chamber to another level, to a strong advocacy platform. I wanted a situation where when I speak at the National Assembly chamber the Chamber of Shipping will be backing what I am saying. She still believes that she will be a voice for the sector from the parliamentary angle and have not given up hope.

    Passion for community development

    She is currently running a foundation called Princess Ifeyinwa Anazonwu Foundation. Having discovered that there are lots of those in need of assistance among the okada riders, widows and children in Onitsha, Akerele is currently sensitising them. “I want to give them sense of pride, give them uniforms. Looking at how widows can be empowered. I have even made a list of widows. About a thousand widows I got on my list. These are the things I can do now. Get the widows’ children schools and adopt children in schools,” she said.

    A role model

    Akerele has quite a lot of young girls that she is mentoring. She is also partnering with the government and the international organisations. Tolerance she said is also very important, and for young ones they should learn to swallow the humble pie. Mrs.Ify Anazonwu-Akerele was frank to reveal a salient factor that has also fueled her success in the chamber since she assumed office as its pioneer Director-General in 2002.

    “A major strategy was acknowledging that the maritime sector is a male-dominated industry and that typical men like to take the lead. One of the secrets was therefore to go in, bearing this in mind. I practically learnt a lot more that way. I found that even when I knew the solutions to issues, I always threw them open and let-in suggestions, and then, in a very wise manner, I would then slip-in my decision. Men have always been quite helpful, but when it comes to situations where I have to put my foot down, I do so,” she revealed.

    Women as one voice

    Akerele is therefore enjoining women to come together as one body to fight for their rights?

    “Women should form a group that will speak on their behalf, there should always be voice for women from every strata. It is not a confrontational movement but a strong force to reckon with. There should be mentoring programme for women so that women can be educated and be alive to their own responsibilities then their voices can be heard. Women can only make headway if their husband support them, they should ensure that their husband support them,” she said.

    Notable challenges encountered

    Akerele though an Ibo woman and married to a Yoruba man is in support of inter tribal marriage. “Yes I will encourage it we are basically the same I’m not tribalistic. Inter tribal marriage is something that I will encourage over and over again, she said.

    Been service-employed

    Sixteen years ago when she was entrusted with the task of setting-up an organisation that would facilitate indigenous participation in the Nigerian maritime industry following the passage of the Cabotage Law, Ify was mystified as she couldn’t figure out why she had to be the ‘chosen one’. “I looked at the documents, studied them, but they were all Greek to me! I somehow got very interested and knew I would need a group of dedicated hands. What helped me was my networking skill because I’m a very sociable person. So, I got a group of very solid Nigerians to be on the board, and that set the ball rolling”, she humbly revealed.

    Managerial background

    Realising that she had always found herself in managerial capacities, Mrs. Akerele replayed how she had gone to study International Relations and Corporate Administration after obtaining a degree in Sociology from the University of Lagos. Mrs. Ify Akerele She had begun her career at the Nigeria Institute for International Affairs (NIIA) but left five years later when she got married, to set up the Institute of Directors along with some others. From there, she moved to the Nigerian Institute of Management, and then to the Presidential Liaison Office in the senate during Obasanjo administration. Molded by childhood Ify believes that this organisational flair stemmed from her childhood. As a thirteen-year-old girl, she had lost her father who was a prominent medical practitioner. The death was a rude shock to the closely-knitted family and everyone found it difficult to cope with, including Ify’s mum who was still quite young. As if that wasn’t enough, one month later, the civil war broke!

    “I automatically grew up fast and learnt to look after my siblings and mum who was quite shattered. I just found myself being strong for other people, hardly remembering my own self. That’s a challenge now because I’m just beginning to learn how to let other people see my weakness. I don’t know who gave me the mandate, but I felt I was the one to protect the family. “During the war, we got separated from our mother, so, I and my siblings had to live with relations in England and France, until she came to join us. Before then, I had to be mother to my four siblings. We were living with an uncle, so, I grew up very fast because it wasn’t really comfortable.

    “Looking back, I would say we could have been worse-off! Luckily, mummy had a twin sister and very nice siblings, so, they really rallied round her. She also had good in-laws who cushioned the pain. Anyway, she’s also late now because she really could not get over it all. Self-discipline “All my life, I’ve always sort of stayed focus even when having fun. I must confess that I had a very happy youth. Returning for my university degree at University of Lagos was fun and I had a lot of friends, but I just always reminded myself that I must stay focused. This was why when though the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping looked like impossibility when I came in, I wasn’t scared”, she explained.

    “I love challenges, I love pioneering things, and, in fact, I am one of such people that set up things, leave them, and then move on without looking back; knowing that they’re working well. So, I guess that’s what shaped me.”

    Coping in male-dominated terrain

    However, aside her flairs, Mrs.Ify Anazonwu-Akerele was frank to reveal a salient factor that has also fuelled her success in the chamber since she assumed office as its pioneer Director-General in 2002. “A major strategy was acknowledging that the maritime sector is a male-dominated industry and that typical men like to take the lead. One of the secrets was therefore to go in, bearing this in mind. I practically learnt a lot more that way. I found that even when I knew the solutions to issues, I always threw them open and let-in suggestions, and then, in a very wise manner, I would then slip-in my decision. That way, it really does not offend anybody. I however cannot negate the fact that I learn better by listening to them since they are the ones practically involved in the business; I’m more of an administrator. They’ve always been quite helpful, but when it comes to situations where I have to put my foot down, I do so,” she revealed.

     

  • Firm lifts local content in maritime, energy

    An indigenous logistics firm, Fortune Global Shipping and Logistics Limited, has unveiled plans to showcase its strength in the global market.

    Its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Eric Opah, said the company had taken advantage of local content development policy to deliver logistics services and expand its coverage to the oil and gas sector.

    He decried the failure of logistics firms to expand to the global market, urging the operators to brace to fly the Nigerian flag higher in the international market.

    Opah said his company had taken the bull by the horn by establishing a branch in Houston, United States, and in Ghana.

    “Today, we are expanding to other countries. We have discovered that Nigerian brands do not usually extend to global markets. Most logistics companies only rely on what they can do within Nigeria. They don’t get to the helms of affairs internationally where decisions are being made.

    “Foreign multinationals are here in Nigeria, but we don’t have our own brand in that market. So, Fortune Global has taken the bull by the horn, and expanded its operations to Houston, United States. We are also in Ghana, as part of our vision to look out to strategic places to support in energy logistics,” he said.

    Opah said the firm also played a critical role in building the Egina Floating Production and Offloading (FPSO) vessels, which sailed into Nigeria some weeks ago for further integration.

    According to him, Fortune Global Shipping handled the clearance of the FPSO and the export of the pressure tank from Lagos to Goje in South Korea.

    The managing director noted that Fortune Global Shipping has capacity to handle over 2000 TEUs of cargo volume and over one million tonnes of airfreights yearly.

    He said the company had recorded some milestones in the Forcados Yokri and Shell’s FOID, among other projects in the oil, gas and maritime sectors.

    Opah noted that the industry has not grown due to factors, such as implementation of regulations and financial support.

  • MGHS Yaba wins maritime quiz for secondary schools

    Methodist Girls High School, Lagos has won the maiden edition of Maritime Quiz Competition for Secondary Schools.

    Quiz moderator Mrs Violet Williams said at the end of the competition last Wednesday in Lagos that Mind Builders emerged as first runner up while Regency School became second runner up. Ten secondary schools participated.

    She explained that the rationale behind the competition was to expose the participants to the maritime industry and guide them to the “Career of the Future.”

    Williams, who is also the Principal Partner of Vow Ventures, said her firm had exposed the students to the shipping environment before engaging in the competition to raise their interest in shipping career.

    “We want to demystify the aspect of no-go- area in the maritime sector and we have discovered that some school owners do not know anything about shipping.

    “Shipping is a global and international business, and it is in the nation’s best interest to invest in the future by catching them young, thus making them economically and professionally children self-sufficient when they leave school.

    She said that the quiz would be extended to secondary school students  in  the South-East and South-South  of the country which have proximity to the sea before 2020.

    Director-General, Nigerian Chamber of Shipping Mrs Obiageli Obi, advised students interested in maritime career to study hard and explore the maritime industry, regardless of their biases.

    Mrs Obi urged the students to be disciplined and resourceful because shipping business is capital intensive but hugely rewarding.

    President, Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) Mrs Mary Hamman, advised the students to choose relevant courses to enable them to build career in the shipping business.

    She announced that the winners of the quiz would be exposed to all aspects of the  maritime industry within and outside the country.

    Women Governor Association of Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Mrs Bola Muse, commended the organisers for enlightening the students

    She urged the organisers to extend the competition to other schools to enable Nigerian students understand the profession.

    Six students from the three prize-winning schools – Methodist Girls High School, Yaba; Mind Builders High Schiol, Alausa and ST +T Regency Schools, GRA, Ikeja, are to proceed on maritime sponsorship tour soon.

    Advising the students, Navy Capt. Abel Abuchi (rtd), said “We are trying to  encourage the students not just to be  lawyers, bankers but they can also be seafarers.

    “They can be captains of sea-going vessels or a Navy: all what they need to do after having their “A” level is to go to Maritime institutions such as Maritime Academy Oron, Certified Institute of Shipping and so on.”

    President, Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA), Mrs Mary Hamman, advised the students to choose relevant courses to enable them build career in shipping.