The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Maritime

  • Navy battles illegal refining, maritime crimes

    Navy battles illegal refining, maritime crimes

    The Navy said yesterday it was intensifying its clampdown on illegal crude oil thieves, illegal refineries and other maritime crimes in Niger Delta.

    23 alleged illegal refineries were raided by the Navy last week alone, according to the Director of Naval Information, Rear Admiral Christian Ezekobe.

    The refineries  were located in Obodo, Ajosolo, Isaba and Olakpashe creeks in the Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State , Ezekobe said in a statement.

    Similarly, about 396 Metric-Tons (MT) of suspected illegally refined AGO and about 1,060MT of suspected stolen crude oil were destroyed.

    Three suspects linked to the sites were apprehended.

    The Navy patrol team also raided an illegal refinery site at the Ibeno community in the Ibeno Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State.

    The raid, which was conducted in conjunction with security partners, led to the destruction of two Cotonou boats and six drums containing suspected illegally refined kerosene.

  • Navy on high alert for criminals in maritime sector

    The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas has ordered all naval formations in the country to maintain the highest level of readiness to ensure safety in the maritime sector during the holidays and beyond.

    The Nigerian Navy said it is aware of the desperation of criminally minded people to perpetuate crimes in the maritime domain thereby undermining legitimate economic activities. It also urges Nigerians to be vigilant on the activities of fake naval personnel who create security breaches urging citizens to promptly report impostors and
    other criminals to the nearest Naval formation.

    The Director of Navy Public Relations, Commodore Christian Ezekobe in a release made available in Abuja urged Nigerians to go about their lawful duties without fear.

    Ezekobe also said a Service patrol team deployed from Forward Operating Base (FOB) BONNY under the maritime component of OPs DELTA SAFE on December 2, 2016  descended heavily on illegal refinery owners.  The patrol  team discovered and destroyed  four illegal refineries set up at Ijawkiri in Rivers state while five persons were
    arrested in connection with the sites.

    Other  items destroyed are five Cotonou boats laden with products suspected to be crude oil and another Cotonou boat loaded with several drums of illegally refined AGO. Also, 12 tanks laden with illegally AGO and six tanks laden with products suspected to be crude oil were destroyed. The suspects arrested in connection with the illegal
    refineries would be handed over to relevant security agency for further action.

  • Students urged to embrace maritime

    Students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, and other tertiary institutions have been urged to tap into opportunities in the maritime sector.

    Speaking at a conference, organised for the Vice Chairman of Sifax Group, Dr Taiwo Afolabi, by UNILAG’s Law Faculty, former President of the Nigerian Trawler Owners Association (NITOA), Mrs Margret Orakwusi, urged students to show interest in the sector because of its benefit to them.

    The theme of the conference was: “Africa’s Maritime Capital: Nigeria and Her Potentials”.

    To turn the potentials to tangible economic benefits, Afolabi urged the government to provide conducive environment for investors and ensure massive development of port infrastructure

    Nigeria, he said, has huge untapped maritime potentials, urging the students to tap into them.

    Afolabi, who was represented by the Executive Director, Human Resources and Administration, Dr Fola Rogers-Saliu, urged the Federal Government to pay attention to the development of the maritime sector.

    “I consider the theme uniquely relevant to the realities of Nigeria’s present economic condition where the twin problems of the prevailing sharp decline in crude oil earnings in the international market and the cataclysmic plunge of the exchange rate of the Naira to the dollar have brought the national economy to an all-time low.

    ”This situation has compelled the need for an inclusive search for an alternative route to national revival and rebirth, forcing upon us a movement away from decades of fixation on the traditional black gold to the maritime – the emerging glittering “blue gold’. Diligent and sustained exploitation of the vast maritime resource endowments of this sector, may prove to be that very” low-hanging fruit” that Nigeria needs at a time such as we are in today,” Afolabi said.

    He said the conference was designed to ignite students’ interest in the opportunities in the maritime industry and a forum to  bring together students, experts and stakeholders in the industry for networking and knowledge sharing.

    Over 1,500 students from UNILAG and other institutions attended the event.

  • Peterside suggests careful planning for good maritime security

    Peterside suggests careful planning for good maritime security

    The Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside, has said that good security in the maritime industry requires careful planning and strict implementation.

    Peterside stated this at the closing ceremony of a five-day training programme tagged “Train the Trainers’’, facilitated by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and NIMASA on ISPS Code Compliance in Lagos.

    He said that the agency was committed to improving the fortunes of Nigeria by creating an enabling environment for a business-friendly and secured environment for stakeholders in the industry.

    The director-general said that the training was predicated on the premise that a fact -finding team was in Nigeria earlier in the year to conduct a Needs Assessment where a number of gaps were identified.

    According to Peterside, this necessitated the training, with a view to addressing some of the gaps identified.

    “I guess that in the course of this exercise, we have learnt that good security requires planning and stringent implementation.

    “I know that in the course of this training, the seed of co-operation and collaboration between NIMASA as Designated Authority (DA) for ISPS Code Implementation in Nigeria, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and the Federal Ministry of Transportation has been planted.

    “My expectation and desire of the leadership of these Agencies is that it will grow and blossom in a tripartite series of planned training programmes.

    “This is expected to culminate with the lead auditors training, which will place you the drivers of the system at the cutting edge of professionalism in ISPS code implementation,’’ the director-general said.

    He thanked the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, for his support and enduring commitment to the imperatives of NIMASA’s DA status and indeed all matters pertaining to the maritime industry in Nigeria.

    Peterside urged participants to bring to bear the knowledge acquired during the five-day training programme, adding that this would enhance security at the nation’s ports.

  • ‘Maritime loses 3,000 jobs to import ban’

    About 3,000 workers, have been sacked by shipping firms, terminal operators and logistics companies, the President-General, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Tony Emmanuel, has said.

    Emmanuel, in a statement in Lagos, said the sack was a fallout of the ban on importation of some commodities.

    He urged the Federal Government to review certain economic policies, especially those on importation of some items, saying that it was wrong to ban those items without alternatives.

    “As an import-dependent country, Nigeria cannot suddenly ban the importation of principal goods being generally consumed in the country,’’ he said.

    Emmanuel said the policy had sent 20 shipping firms out of the countrybecausev of dwindling balance sheets.

    He appealed to the government to lift the ban on items: such as wheat, vehicle spare parts and machineries, until the nation could  produce them.

    “As a remedy, the union, however, demanded for a review of the ban. Failure to do this, will encourage smuggling, diversion of ships to neighbouring countries, idle ports, retrenchment of workers, unemployment and general loss of revenue to government,” he said.

    He also spoke of revenue loss through under-declaration, attributing this to the sack of some dockworkers – tally clerks and on-board securitymen.

    Emmanuel said the position of the union was that tally clerks and on-board security men be recalled.

    According to him, when the union members were in-charge of tallying cargoes and securing the cargoes on board ships, there were no cases of loss of revenue.

    Apart from revenue leakages,  he said recalling the tally clerks and on-board security men would reduce unemployment.

  • Maritime Academy warns employees against sharp practices

    The Registrar of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Mkpandiok Mkpandiok, has warned members of staff to take their work seriously and avoid all kinds of sharp practices for selfish gains.

    Mkpandiok gave the warning during his meeting with members of staff after the expiration of the period of mourning earlier declared by the Management in honour of the late Ag. Rector Dr. Anthony Ishiodu.

    He reminded them that ‘Public Service Rule’ is still in operation and he will not hesitate to apply sanctions on defaulting Staff where necessary.

    The Registrar, who has been sitting in for the Acting Rector since the demise of the former rector, said management may embark on expressed his dismay over the attitude to work of some Staff and condemned theft of the Academy’s valuables, frequent leakages of official documents or information by Staff to some unscrupulous members of the public, amongst other negative things.

    He further stressed such extreme behaviours are not justifiable, and called on those perpetuating these injurious acts to have a change of attitude before the law catches up with them.

    The registrar also proposed conference marking of scripts by lecturers of the academy and the conclusion of the exercise two weeks after the conclusion of examinations, saying such would help to restore sanity to the Academy.

    His words: “This serves as last warning on these things, after now, heads will roll.

    “I will also not approve frivolous advances; all funds disbursed to the Academy have been budgeted for under specific sub-heads, therefore the era of using government funds for personal reasons are gone.”

    He urged non-academic staff to properly keep records of Cadets and Students in file documentation.

  • Firm opens training centre for maritime operators in Lagos

    Firm opens training centre for maritime operators in Lagos

    Hudson Trident Limited, an indigenous company providing specialised service in the maritime industry, has established a state-of-the-art training centre.

    The centre was established to build skills and personnel in the maritime sector.

    It provides tug boat simulator, offshore supply vessel, dynamic positioning, crane simulator, liquid cargo handling and engine room simulator, amongst others.

    Managing Director, Hudson Trident Limited, Lai Are, said that company provides mandatory and non-mandatory training that complies with international and local standards and regulations.

    He spoke at the launch of the facility last week in Lagos.

    According to him: “We decided to establish this training centre to provide maritime training for people in the industry. “We intend to contribute our own quota to development of the maritime industry by establishing this centre.”

    General Manager, Maritime Training Facility, Edwin Evbie, explained that the simulator will help create real working scenarios as obtainable in developed countries.

    He assured the courses are 50 percent below the cost of going abroad to study, adding that with the training, more Nigerians will be able to operate the vessels formerly operated by foreigners.

    The training coordinator, Babalola Adebowale, said the equipment is state- of- the- art programmed to teach trainees based on their areas of specialisation.

    Adebowale disclosed that the company is looking at training boat pilot, cadet, boat captain, ship pilot, and all stakeholders interested in working with the maritime, oil and gas industry.

  • NLNG, Warsash partner on maritime training, safety

    NLNG, Warsash partner on maritime training, safety

    Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) has opened a model of its new Dual Fuel Diesel Electric (DFDE) vessels at Southampton Solent University’s Warsash Maritime Academy, United Kingdom (U.K.) to contribute to the training and development of mariners globally.

    At a ceremony in Southhampton, the Managing Director and Chief Executive of NLNG, Babs Omotowa, said the introduction of the manned model was “a deliberate strategy to upscale NLNG’s world-class safety and operations records and achievements”.

    The External Relations General Manager, Kudo Eresia-Eke, said the manned model will join other model used by Warsash Maritime Academy, a world-leading marine technology and training academy, to provide training, consultancy and research to NLNG and help develop mariners in the art of handling a ship. The models are tools of simulation and are built to the correct power to weight ratio as its full sized counterpart.

    The model was built to the 1:25 scale after one of the six DFDE vessels recently inaugurated by Bonny Gas Transport (BGT), a subsidiary of NLNG. The company, in 2013, signed $1.6 billion deal with Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) and Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) to build six vessels.

    Omotowa said: “NLNG’s current goal is to sustain growth and build upon it, safely. And that is precisely why we are here today. NLNG’s partnership with Warsash Maritime Academy helped us to obtain the required design specification for the manned model, which was delivered from South Korea last month.

  • NLNG, Warsash partner on maritime training, safety

    NLNG, Warsash partner on maritime training, safety

    Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) has opned a manned model of its new Dual Fuel Diesel Electric (DFDE) vessels at Southampton Solent University’s Warsash Maritime Academy, United Kingdom to contribute to the training and development of mariners globally.

    At a ceremony in Southhampton, the Managing Director and Chief Executive of NLNG, Babs Omotowa, said the introduction of the manned model was “a deliberate strategy to upscale NLNG’s world-class safety and operations records and achievements”.

    The  External Relations General Manager, Kudo Eresia-Eke, said the manned model will join other model used by Warsash Maritime Academy, a world-leading marine technology and training academy, to provide training, consultancy and research to NLNG and help develop mariners in the art of handling a ship. The models are tools of simulation and are built to the correct power to weight ratio as its full sized counterpart.

    The model was built to the 1:25 scale after one of the six DFDE vessels recently inaugurated by Bonny Gas Transport (BGT), a subsidiary of NLNG. The company, in 2013, signed $1.6 billion deal with Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) and Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) to build six vessels.

    Omotowa said: “NLNG’s current goal is to sustain growth and build upon it, safely. And that is precisely why we are here today. NLNG’s partnership with Warsash Maritime Academy helped us to obtain the required design specification for the manned model, which was delivered from South Korea last month.

    “The partnership will also deliver the highest quality ship handling training for NLNG fleet officers and authorised third-party personnel. This is in addition to specialised consultancy services required for the planned NLNG Marine Resource Centre at Bonny Island.

    “Our two companies may be separated by the oceans and great distances. But I have no doubt that we are united in our joint ambition to be the very best at what we do. It is no big surprise therefore that Nigeria LNG and Warsash have a relationship dating back many years.”

    He added that through integrity, team work, excellence and caring, NLNG has been built to be a safe, reliable and profitable company. NLNG and Warsash Maritime Academy have a long-standing relation in the training and skills development of ship personnel manning NLNG vessels.

    The  Southampton Solent University’s School of Maritime Science and Engineering Director, Dr Syamantak Bhattacharya, said: “This most recent addition to the fleet demonstrates the importance placed on this type of training by the shipping industry. Our Ship Handling Centre is internationally renowned and Nigeria LNG’s latest investment represents a significant addition to our fleet. “

  • Maritime security: NIMASA chief seeks agencies’ support

    Maritime security: NIMASA chief seeks agencies’ support

    The Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has called stakeholders to redouble their efforts in ensuring adequate security for the maritime sector..

    Peterside, who made the call when he hosted the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Ferguson Bobai, at the agency’s head office in Lagos, decried the rise in piracy and called for strategic initiatives and synergy among stakeholders to arrest the trend.

    He said: “The operations report available to us is nothing to cheer about. While there is a drop in the number of vessels calling on our ports, there seem to be a comparative increase in piracy activities. This means that operationally, both NIMASA and the Nigerian Navy must step up our game in order to guarantee continuous prosperity of Nigeria’s economy.”

    While commending the Nigerian Navy for the considerable reduction of criminal activities in Nigeria’s territorial waters in the last three months, Peterside  challenged stakeholders to do more to eliminate the scourge.

    He acknowledged the existing partnership with the Nigerian Navy, which he said has been mutually beneficial, saying that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two agencies is being reviewed to make it more effective and beneficial to the entire maritime industry.

    “I am confident that the strategies being put in place by the Nigerian Navy, including the launch of the FALCON EYE and partnerships with relevant stakeholders will go a long way in addressing the security challenges in our waterways” he said, and pledged the Agency’s continuous collaboration with the Nigerian Navy in the task of promoting a friendly environment for maritime activities in Nigeria.

    Responding, Rear Admiral  Bobai said he was in NIMASA on a familiarisation visit after taking over the Western Naval Command. He called for greater cooperation between the two agencies for the interest of Nigeria.

    He assured of the Nany’s readiness to partner with NIMASA, saying: “Our doors are open for a sustained partnership with your agency. There should be no obstacles to our collaboration which should guarantee the unhindered movement of vessels doing legitimate business in Nigerian waters.”