… Nigeria Critical to Regional Stability – Kitack Lim
… INTERTANKO, ICC, Chevron, Others Commend Agency
Xianyong Joe Zhou of Intertanko in a warm handshake with DG NIMASA DR Dakuku Peterside shortly after an IMO-sponsored Maritime Security and Facilitation (MSF) meeting at IMO Headquarters in London
The initiatives of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) aimed at securing the Gulf of Guinea have received a major boost from the international business community.
Key players in the global oil and gas as well as shipping businesses praised the initiatives at a maritime security meeting in London chaired by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), and pledged their support.
Members of the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF), International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (INTERTANKO), International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), and International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners (INTERCARGO) committed to collaboration with the IMO in support of NIMASA’s efforts to enhance security in the Gulf of Guinea.
The agreement was reached at an IMO-sponsored Maritime Security and Facilitation (MSF) meeting, which had in attendance officials of the United Nations specialised maritime regulatory agency, led by the Secretary-General, Kitack Lim; the management of NIMASA led by the Director-General, Dr. Dakuku Peterside; representatives of OCIMF, INTERTANKO, ICS, INTERCARGO, Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO), and President of Chevron Worldwide, Mr. Mark Ross.
President of Chevron Mark Ross , DG NIMASA Dr Dakuku Peterside, NIMASA Executive Director Finance Bashir Jamoh and Eng Rotimi Fashakin NIMASA ED Operations shortly after the IMO-sponsored Maritime Security and Facilitation (MSF) meeting at the IMO Headquarters in London.
Lim, who chaired the meeting, called for stakeholders’ collaboration to overcome the challenges in the Gulf of Guinea. While acknowledging the efforts of NIMASA to tackle insecurity in the region, the IMO Secretary-General pledged the organisation’s support for Nigeria.
Peterside informed the meeting that the C4i Centre, which is already in operation, made use of the Automatic Identification System (AIS) and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) to identify Non-AIS complying vessels. It also uses COASTAL RADAR and External System Integration, including the Nigerian Navy’s Falcon Eye Intelligence and Lloyds List Intelligence, among others.
Some of the special mission aircraft will also arrive Nigeria in November, while the four unmanned aerial vessels will arrive Nigeria March 2020. Total deployment of all C4i projects will be by November 2020.”
Peterside stated that Nigerian laws do not allow private armed guards onboard vessels in the country’s territorial waters. He called for constant engagement on the Deep Blue Project, and more support for the ICC Yaounde to enhance information sharing capacity in the Gulf of Guinea.
Stakeholders at the meeting acknowledged the attempts by the Nigerian government to combat maritime crimes and promised to back those efforts with more assets to fight piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. They also promised to support the hosting of the Global Maritime Security Conference (GMSC) in Abuja.
Mr. Sam Megwa of OCIMF, who had led a team to visit Nigeria this year, also acknowledged the steps by NIMASA and the Nigerian government to curb piracy and maritime crimes. He urged the Agency to put appropriate measures in place to ensure sustainability of the security projects.
