Boost Nigeria’s tonnage, fly her flags, NIMASA DG urges NLNG

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) have urged the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) to boost Nigeria’s tonnage by considering Nigerian flags for its vessels.

In a statement issued late, on Wednesday, by NIMASA’s assistant director, Public Relations, Edward Osagie, the NIMASA DG, Dr Bashir Jamoh said this when he received the management of the NLNG led by its managing director, Dr Philip Mshelbila in Lagos.

The DG of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh noted that a better working relationship between NIMASA and the NLNG would greatly enhance operations in the maritime sector of the country. He assured the NLNG management that NIMASA would extend the already existing working relationship the agency has with the NLNG Ship Management Limited (NSML) to the parent body, while also urging NLNG to consider the Nigerian flag as first option for her vessels.

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• Boost Nigeria’s tonnage, fly her flags, NIMASA DG urges NLNG
• Boost Nigeria’s tonnage, fly her flags, NIMASA DG urges NLNG

According to him, “This is a new beginning; our focus should be what is best for Nigeria and not just for the NLNG or NIMASA.”

While commending the NLNG for providing platforms for sea time to train Nigerian seafarers, the NIMASA DG noted that the agency is committed to attaining best global practices, so that certificates issued by Nigeria will be recognised globally.

“We are working to ensure that the certificates of competency issued by the Nigerian Maritime Administration are of international standard. This he said will make it easy for the NLNG and other international organisations to accept them.” Jamoh said that the agency needs the NLNG to boost the nation’s Tonnage.

“We at NLNG have realized that for us to fulfil one of our key visual elements, which is helping to build a better Nigeria, it is important for us to work with all our stakeholders including NIMASA. We are aware that NIMASA and our subsidiary, NMSL are working hand in hand for the progress of this country and we desire that the same spirit of partnership and collaboration should be extended to the NLNG.”

“I believe that for NLNG to fulfil its mission as a business it needs to partner with NIMASA. NIMASA is an important stakeholder for us; we don’t just see it as a regulator only. I know we have various training programs, working closely with NIMASA, being explored by NMSL to provide sea time training for Seafarers, which has enabled the seafarer to fulfil their qualifications and get certifications.”

He expressed appreciation to NIMASA for the active management of the activities in the Gulf of Guinea. “We can certainly testify from the report that we get both locally and from international bodies that there has been a huge success in the war against criminal activities in the Gulf of Guinea and we know that the Deep Blue Project is instrumental in attaining this success.”

NIMASA and the NLNG have agreed to urgently look into areas including port charges and how best to make Nigerian ports competitive, effective implementation of the cabotage law, stevedoring charges, CoC recognition, and registration of NLNG vessels in the Nigerian ship registry amongst others.

The Nigeria LNG Limited is jointly owned, as the federal government owns 49 per cent; Shell gas B.V owns 25.6 per cent; Total LNG Nigeria Limited owns 15 per cent; and Eni International 10.4 per cent, culminating in 51 per cent ownership by the NLNG.