Fed Govt To Support Local Vessels For Global Trade
Nigerian flagged vessels are set to engage in global trade.
The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Dr Dakuku Peterside, who disclosed this, said the agency’s efforts at building capacity and making sure Nigerians acquired high vessels that would participate in carrying cargoes to other world destinations were yielding results.
Speaking at a recent Nigerian Ship Registry Interactive Forum, Peterside pointed out the need to grow the country’s fleet and take active part in international commercial trade.
He assured stakeholders of the disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund to facilitate this initiative.
He said, “As you are all well aware, Nigeria operates a closed ship registry. However, most renowned ship registries in the world today maintain a second or international register to attract tonnage while using the closed register to develop indigenous capacity and for domestic trade similar to our cabotage regime.
“We are therefore considering establishing a second or international register to help grow our fleet and input our footprints in international commercial trade.”
He disclosed that the desire of the agency was to have Nigeria-flagged vessels involved in international commercial trade.
He added, “That is why we are making every effort to build capacity and ensure that Nigerians acquire high capacity vessels that will not only be involved in the lifting of our hydrocarbons but carry our cargoes to other parts of the world.
“In 2018/19, we attracted into our register two high index capacity vessels –Egina FPSO and MT Ultimate. We have no doubt that a lot more can be done to assist Nigerians in acquiring vessels and that is why we are making effort to disburse the CVFF.”
The NIMASA DG noted that the agency had internally begun to take constructive steps in the ship registry, like an audit of register of Nigerian vessels, redesign and production of new ship registry certificates, automation of the ship registry, upgrade of the ship registry filing facility, review of ship registration guidelines and ISO 9001:2015 certification.
He said, “A comprehensive audit of register of Nigerian vessels was carried out in 2018/19 to ensure that the International Maritime Organisation Ship Identification Number Scheme was outlined in IMO Resolution A.
“Counterfeiting of ship registry certificates renders the entire gamut of systems and processes designed to prevent the entry of unseaworthy and substandard ships into the flag a nullity.
“We have acquired a software licence to commence the automation of the ship registry processes as we all are aware that automation is the only way that our business processes can be quickened. Our principal aim in the near future is to achieve online electronic registration, accept electronic copies of documents and issue electronic certificates.”
According to him, the agency is upgrading the ship registry filing facility to ensure effective documents management and control.
He said, “We are reviewing our ship registration requirements to ensure a harmonised process between survey and ship registry units and align ourselves with standard international best practices.
“Our Maritime Safety and Seafarers Standards department and allied units in the agency have undergone ISO 9001: 2015 certification and are awaiting issuance of the certificate. We are working with the ship registration office through the same process to ensure a sustainable quality management system.”
