By Patience Chat Moses
After six years, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has finally put hands on deck to operationalize its idle Modular Floating Dock, which was acquired more than six years ago at a whopping sum of over N50 billion.
The Modular Floating Dock, which can handle up to 10,000 Metric Tons vessels, would be run on a Public Private Partnership arrangement.
The Agency had moved the floating dock to a jetty at the Standard Flour Mills in Apapa, in preparation for its movement to the scheduled operational base at the Continental Shipyard, Apapa.
NIMASA faulted the initial arrangement to deploy the multi-million Naira floating dock to the Niger Delta. It also attributed the failure to utilize the crafts since it was brought into Nigeria to the fundamental flaw in its intended deployment to Nigerian Maritime University (NMU) in Delta State.
The Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, revealed this during an interactive session with maritime journalists in Lagos last week, where he detailed the agency’s new direction and broader strategy for the nation’s maritime sector.
Mobereola explained that after a thorough review, it became clear that the initial deployment plan for the floating dock was not suitable for the country’s maritime needs.
“The original plan was not the right one for the floating dock. It was evident that placing it at the Nigerian Maritime University in Okerenkoko would not deliver the intended economic benefits,” Mobereola stated, emphasizing the agency’s commitment to repositioning the floating dock where it can be optimally utilized.
“We are going to put the floating dock to very good use. Once it is operational, it will be beneficial to the economy, to seafarers, and to NIMASA itself.”
He further reassured stakeholders that the floating dock will be deployed soon, as the agency has already inspected several potential sites, including the Continental Shipyard in Apapa. “We’ve been around the port; we went to Continental Shipyard. It’s just a matter of time, and we will make the right decision,” he assured.
In addition to the floating dock issue, Mobereola addressed other key initiatives, including the contentious disbursement of the Cabotage Vessels Finance Fund (CVFF).
He stressed that NIMASA is determined to avoid the pitfalls that led to the failure of the defunct Ship Acquisition and Ship Building Fund (SASBF). “We are focused on planning not to fail. The maritime industry has evolved significantly over the last two decades, and we must take the necessary steps to ensure that the CVFF is utilized efficiently,” he explained.
Mobereola pointed out that while the CVFF will support the acquisition of vessels, it is also crucial to ensure the availability of cargo to sustain the operations of the fund. “It won’t just be about acquiring vessels. We are also working to ensure that there is sufficient cargo to keep these vessels operational, which will prevent a repeat of the SASBF saga,” he noted.
The NIMASA DG highlighted that the disbursement of the CVFF will be sustained to foster economic development, create jobs, and promote business growth within Nigeria’s blue economy.
During the session, Mobereola also revealed that the government has scrapped plans to establish a national shipping carrier, a move that was previously considered under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.
“We should not go the way of owning a government-owned national carrier. Instead, we should focus on creating an enabling environment for private ship owners to thrive,” Mobereola stated, citing the failures of the defunct Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL) as a lesson learnt.
“We are working on supporting Nigerian-flagged vessels, which can operate globally and carry Nigerian goods both inwards and outwards.”
Another significant issue discussed during the session was NIMASA’s ongoing efforts to automate its processes and procedures.
Mobereola emphasized that automation is critical to improving the efficiency of the agency’s operations, including ship registration. “We are looking at countries like the United Kingdom, where seamless automation systems are in place, to see what we can learn and adapt. Automation of our processes, particularly ship registration, is a top priority,” he stated.
On the topic of maritime training and certification, Mobereola addressed concerns regarding the acceptance of Nigeria’s Certificates of Competency (COCs) and Officer of the Watch (OOW) certificates by other maritime nations. He acknowledged the challenges but assured that NIMASA is working on addressing these issues to ensure that Nigerian maritime professionals are globally competitive.
Furthermore, Mobereola expressed the agency’s commitment to resolving long-standing issues affecting retirees. He described the situation as regrettable, noting that many former NIMASA employees have not been paid their entitlements, pensions, and gratuities.
“It is unfortunate that Nigerians who spent a better part of their lives serving this country in various capacities within NIMASA have not been paid their entitlements after several years,” Mobereola said, adding that the agency is collating data to expedite the payment process for those still alive.
Looking ahead, he said NIMASA is also expanding its collaboration with state governments to harness the full potential of Nigeria’s blue economy. Mobereola emphasized that this is a crucial aspect of President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s plan to diversify the economy away from its heavy reliance on crude oil.
“We want to diversify from a wholly crude oil-dependent economy to a non-oil-dependent economy, and the Marine and Blue Economy space is the right place to start,” he asserted.
A modular floating dock system is composed of individual units that can be connected to create a customized dock layout. This flexibility makes modular docks ideal for industrial applications where different configurations may be needed to support various operations.
