NIMASA, NLNG Plan Joint Committee To Improve Operations

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Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) have agreed on a joint committee to improve liaison between them.

The agreement was reached during a visit by the Managing Director of NLNG, Philip Mshelbila to NIMASA.

The Director-General, Bashir Jamoh explained that a better working relationship between NIMASA and the NLNG would greatly enhance operations in the maritime sector of the country.

In a statement by the agency’s Assistant Director, Public Relations, Osagie Edward, the director general assured the NLNG management that NIMASA would extend the already existing working relationship the agency had with the NLNG Ship Management Limited (NSML) to the parent body, while also urging NLNG to consider the Nigerian flag as the first option for her vessels.

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 recognized globally.

Jamoh said: “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 organizations to accept them.”

“NIMASA needs the NLNG; we desire to have vessels of the NLNG fly the Nigerian Flag, just imagine that vessels of the NLNG are on the Nigerian Registry, our tonnage will increase exponentially. The Nigerian Flag will earn much more respect globally and we will get better recognition.

“We at NLNG have realized that for us to fulfill one of our key visual elements, which is helping to build a better Nigeria, we need 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.”

On his part, the Managing Director of NLNG, Philip Mshelbila noted that the management of the NLNG is committed to the deliberate indigenisation of the human component of its operation, adding that they were ready to partner with NIMASA to enhance the safety and security of lives and assets in the Nigerian maritime domain.

He noted that they were on the same page with NIMASA in terms of capacity development and the quest to ensure Nigeria attains internationally acceptable standards in her operations in the maritime sector.

He explained: “I believe that for NLNG to fulfill 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 fulfill their qualifications and get certifications.

“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.”

“Based on the information at our disposal; I don’t think there has been any case of abduction since this year and that’s a testament to the success of Deep Blue Project initiative that NIMASA has driven and this has been in collaboration with the Nigerian Navy, Regional and non-regional bodies.”

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, Certificate of Competency (CoC) recognition, and Registration of NLNG Vessels on 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 percent, culminating in 51 per cent ownership by the NLNG.

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