Fifteen seafarers of Turkish nationality, who were kidnapped back in January from their containership MV Mozart in the Gulf of Guinea, have been rescued, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed.

The containership was boarded on January 23 while underway from Lagos to Cape Town, approximately 98 nautical miles northwest of Sao Tome.

One seafarer, of Azeri origin, was shot dead in the incident after a group of pirates breached into the citadel on board the vessel where the seafarers had hidden.

The ship had a total of 19 crew members on board, and three were left on board Mozart after the pirates departed.

The attack was described as one of the most violent ones due to its severity.

Hapag-Lloyd, the vessel operator, said that the pirates destroyed parts of the bridge, and that the vessel was unable to continue her voyage without significant delay.

Following the incident, the ministry formed a working group for the rescue of their citizens which has been working in close cooperation with the embassies in the region, the owner of the ship, and a delegation of relevant institutions dispatched to Gabon following the attack.

In early February, Turkish media reported that the Istanbul-based Boden Denizcilik, owner of the ship, had made contact with crew members of its container vessel. The company said that all fifteen seafarers were well, uninjured, and together.

“Since the beginning of this week, significant progress has been achieved as a result of the effective coordination and cooperation of all our institutions and the intense efforts of the shipowner to release our citizens,” the ministry said on February 12.

The seafarers were released on Friday, and have since undergone medical checks, with the aim of transferring them from Nigeria to Turkey as soon as possible.

Reuters reported that the seafarers arrived at the Istanbul Airport on Sunday where they were welcomed by the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and other officials.

As disclosed, the seafarers were held captive in a forest and were under constant psychological pressure amid threats that they would be killed if the company fails to meet the pirates’ conditions.

The crew was released at a safe point after the company paid the ransom, according to the seafarers’ accounts.

A total of 135 crew were kidnapped from their vessels in 2020, with the Gulf of Guinea accounting for over 95% of crew numbers kidnapped, the International Chamber of Commerce’s International Maritime Bureau (IMB) said.

A record 130 crew members were kidnapped in 22 separate incidents, as the GoG experiences an unprecedented rise in the number of crew kidnappings since 2019.

World Maritime News

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is calling for urgent action to deter piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.

The urgency of the situation has been underlined by the attack on the container ship Mozart on 23 January 2021, which resulted in a fatality and the kidnapping of 15 seafarers.

The seafarers have been rescued after the shipowner paid for the ransom to the pirates. Recounting their captivity, the seafarers pointed to grueling conditions while being kept in a forest under constant threat of being killed if their company fails to pay for ransom.

The escalating situation led to a record 130 crew members being kidnapped in 22 separate incidents in the GoG in 2020.

IMO said that it intends to convene a maritime security working group focusing on the Gulf of Guinea at the next session of the Maritime Safety Committee, MSC 103, scheduled to take place in May 2021.

This will provide an opportunity for Member States and international organizations to discuss further collaboration and possible action to address the existing problems.

“The Secretary-General wishes to express his deep concern about the escalation in the number and severity of attacks in the Gulf of Guinea region which threaten the lives of our seafarers and the safety of shipping in the region,” IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim.

IMO said it was taking action to enhance the coordination of initiatives among stakeholders, including facilitating meetings with representatives of the industry, the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Interregional Coordination Centre (ICC).

The Organization is currently working with the Interregional Coordination Centre (ICC) to assist with the implementation of the Yaoundé Code of Conduct (YCC), a regional code aimed at enhancing maritime security and addressing piracy, armed robbery against ships, illegal fishing and other illicit maritime activity.

Companies like Maersk have also been calling for the establishment of a naval mission to the Gulf of Guinea to bring an end to terrorizing of seafarers while crossing the area.

In response to the increasing calls from the shipping industry to bolster security in the region, the European Union is also working on launching the first pilot case of the Coordinated Maritime Presences (CMP) concept in the Gulf of Guinea.

The CMP would support efforts by the coastal states and the organisations of the Yaoundé Architecture to address increasing security challenges such as armed piracy and kidnapping for ransom.

World Maritime News

The World Maritime Theme for 2021 is dedicated to seafarers, highlighting their central role in the future of shipping.

IMO has chosen to make 2021 a year of action for seafarers, who are facing unprecedented hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic, despite their vital role as key workers for global supply chains.

The World Maritime Theme for 2021, “Seafarers: at the core of shipping’s future” seeks to increase the visibility of seafarers by drawing attention to the invaluable role they play now and will continue to play in the future.

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed extraordinary demands on seafarers, with hundreds of thousands of men and women stranded on ships for months beyond their original contracts, unable to be repatriated due to national travel restrictions.

A similar number of seafarers are unable to join ships and earn a living. This crew change crisis, which has been ongoing for nearly a year, is a humanitarian emergency that threatens the safety of shipping.

Launching the World Maritime theme on 16 February, IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim said more Governments must step up to end the crew change crisis.

 “We all must do better to support our brave professionals who continue to deliver global trade. The dedication and professionalism of more than one and a half million seafarers worldwide deserve our great admiration and gratitude – but most importantly, immediate action,” Mr. Lim said.

“A first step would be for all countries to designate seafarers as key workers, as outlined in the United Nations General Assembly Resolution adopted in December,” Mr. Lim added, referring to the UNGA resolution on International cooperation to address challenges faced by seafarers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic to support global supply chains. 

Key worker designation is crucial to ensure seafarers can travel to and from ships and will facilitate access to priority vaccination. To date, 55 IMO Member States and two Associate Members have designated seafarers as key workers (click here for the full list).

Throughout the year, the World Maritime Theme will also put the spotlight on other issues related to the human element of shipping, including the safety and security of life on board ships, seafarers’ well-being, and the importance of ensuring an appropriately trained and qualified workforce, ready to meet the challenges and opportunities of digitalization and automation.

The focus on seafarers is also in line with the work carried out by the Organization, since the beginning of the pandemic and before. “At IMO, seafarers have always been at the centre of all our work – be it in the area of safety, maritime security, or environmental protection,” IMO Secretary-General said.

 The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic will be discussed by the Sub-Committee on Human element, Training and Watchkeeping (HTW), which is taking place this week (15-19 February).

 Making voices of seafarers heard

As part of its efforts to put seafarers at the heart of discussions, IMO is launching a series of profiles in which seafarers express their views on their work and the future of shipping.

  In the first profile, Chief Engineer Matt Forster (United Kingdom) highlighted the importance of making seafarers more visible, particularly in the context of the crew change crisis.

 “We’re the pillars of the supply chains around the world. Trade is coming by sea. But because people are not aware of us, we don’t get the support we need. We want people to know that it is the men and women within our industry that provide them with everything they need for their day-to-day lives. It’s not for praise, it’s to assist us in being recognised, to help us to get home, to see our families, to be with our loved ones, and to continue this supply chain going,” Mr Forster said.

The federal government has named the Idu Railway Complex after the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Ms Amina Mohammed.

Director of Press at the Ministry, Mr. Eric Ojiekwe, made this known in a statement that “The Federal Government of Nigeria has named the Idu railway complex, Idu train station, and the light train station of the Federal Capital Territory and all its facilities after the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Mrs Amina J. Mohammed.

“It has also gained the concurrence of the Honourable Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Mohammed Bello.”

Wife of the Hon. Minister of Transportation, Dame Judith Amaechi, and all the APC women in Rivers State have sent felicitations to Wife of the President, Her Excellency, Aisha Buhari on occasion of her 50^th birthday.

Mrs. Amaechi’s message reads “On behalf of my family and All APC women in Rivers State, we wish the wife of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Her Excellency, Aisha Buhari, a remarkable 50th birthday.

“We are glad to have a First Lady, who believes in the growth and development of the girl child, women and indigents of our great country, Nigeria.

“We identify and celebrate with her on this auspicious Golden Jubilee.”

IMO and WISTA International survey will obtain baseline data on number of women and their positions in maritime and oceans fields

The International Maritime Organization (IMO), and the Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA International) have launched the Women in Maritime – IMO and WISTA International Survey 2021 to examine the proportion and distribution of women working in the maritime sector, from support roles to executive level positions.

The survey is part of a series of activities aimed at laying the groundwork for further discussions on how to build a more diverse workforce within the maritime sector, essential for a sustainable future. The data obtained by the survey will help build a picture of diversity and gender equality in the industry.

The launch of the study follows the 2020 signing of the IMO-WISTA Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on promoting greater diversity and inclusion through enhanced cooperation activities in the maritime sector.

The MoU was signed by IMO and WISTA International, an international organization whose mission is to attract and support women at the management level, in the maritime, trading and logistics sectors. The MoU aims to set a framework for both IMO and WISTA to promote gender diversity and inclusion as vital factors in providing a sustainable future for the shipping industry worldwide.

IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim said:  ”Diversity in maritime matters. Empowering women fuels thriving economies across the world, spurs growth and development, and benefits everyone working in the global maritime community and beyond. We need solid data on female participation, as this will enable us to track and quantify our ambitions in what has traditionally been a male-dominated sector. I am pleased to invite all Member States and maritime stakeholders to take part in this important survey.”

Despina Panayiotou Theodosiou, President at WISTA International said: ”Having comparable data is a key component when creating programmes and proposing policies that will increase the participation of women in maritime. It is an essential step forward in creating a more diverse and inclusive environment in our sector. With our global reach we can amplify the strength of this survey to show real results and back our drive towards an inclusive maritime sector.”

to the just-launched survey, other initiatives under the IMO-WISTA MoU include developing a database of female experts in a wide range of maritime subjects who are available for speaking engagements. This will contribute towards more diverse panels.

Another key objective of the IMO-WISTA MoU is to strengthen cooperation and share best practices between the IMO-established regional Women in Maritime Associations (WIMAs) and WISTA International’s National WISTA Associations (NWAs).

In 2019, the IMO Assembly adopted Resolution A.1147(31) on Preserving the legacy of the World Maritime theme for 2019 and Achieving a Barrier-Free Working Environment for Women in the Maritime Sector (link) which urges firm action in coming years to advance gender equality throughout the maritime sector and help create  an enabling work environment that embraces equality, diversity and reduces bias. The resolution was adopted following a year of action to promote diversity under the World Maritime theme, “Empowering women in the maritime community.”

This work continues, including under the IMO women in maritime programme.

Women in maritime survey

The IMO and WISTA International survey is open to IMO Member States, IGOs, NGOs, public and private companies in the maritime sector and maritime training establishments. There are two separate surveys to be completed by Member States and industry.

The deadline for the completion of the survey is 30 June 2021.

The 2021 inaugural survey is being carried out by IHS Markit on behalf of IMO The intention is to repeat the survey every three years. The aim is to support implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG 5 on gender equality, SDG 8 on decent work, and SDG 17 on partnerships. The data collected will assist in creating programmes and proposing policies that will increase the participation of women in maritime, thereby creating a more diverse and inclusive environment in our sector.

A former Comptroller-General of Customs, Abdullahi Dikko Inde is dead.

He was the CGC from 2009 to 2015.

Spokesman of the Nigeria Customs Service, Mr. Joseph Attah, made this known in a statement on Thursday that “The family of the former Comptroller -General of Customs, Abdullahi Dikko Inde, just announced his passing away today.

“His funeral prayers (Janaza) will take place Friday 19^th February 2021, after Jumaat Prayers at the National Mosque Abuja.”

The Managing Director of LADOL Free Zone, Dr. Amy Jadesimi, has encouraged the Lagos State Government to create conducive business environment for private sector companies and still have the opportunity of getting a share of a new USD 12 trillion market.

Almost all the new jobs the world needs, 680 million, would be created by the private sector, particularly SMEs – the most profitably of these growing companies will be those that embrace sustainable business plans and targets.

Dr. Jadesimi made her remarks on Thursday at the Ehingbeti Lagos Economic Summit 2021, in a panel season tagged ‘Mainstreaming Sustainability in Governance and Business’.

Other members of the panels were Mr. Young David, MD & Senior Partner, BCG; Dr. Gloria Udoh, Social Performance Manager, Shell; Dr. Chioma Nwachuku, GM External Affairs and Communication, Director AGPC (Anoh Gas Processing Company) Seplat; Mrs Titilola Alabi, Sustainability & Public Affairs Manager, Diageo Nigeria.

She said that: “To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, we have to embrace the fact that private sector is going to be the driver. In a country like Nigeria and in state like Lagos it is the private sector, large or small that is going to be critical. There is a great opportunity for low income, high growth countries like Nigeria to correct our market failures by enabling our private sector to adopt sustainable business models.

“Lagos State can go a step further and push faster implementation and growth of companies in the state by working with organisations such as the UNDP. UNDP has recently launched its SDG Impact Standards to support funds in driving capital to where it is needed most. UNDP’s suite of impact standards will help make sustainable businesses bankable, based on a market case and give them greater access to funding.

“The Nigerian private sector has proven itself to be hard working and resilient, with a level playing field and wide acceptance of Impact standards, as criteria for funding, the private sector can soar.”

Dr. Jadesimi was a Commissioner on the Business and Sustainable development Commission that produced the 2017 report, “Better Business Better World”.

The report identified 60 biggest market opportunities related to delivering the Global Goals, in four verticals of Food & Agriculture; Cities; Energy & Materials; Health & Well-Being.

The Commission’s work showed how achieving the Global Goals opens up an economic prize of at least US$12 trillion by 2030 for the private sector and potentially 2-3 times more.

Well over 50 percent of the prize is located in high growth, low income countries. Achieving the Global Goals in these four economic verticals could create 380 million new jobs by 2030, almost 90 percent of them in developing countries.

One market hot spot, affordable housing, accounts for almost one fifth (70 million) of these jobs. Pricing in environmental costs such as climate change increases the “real” size of the prize by a further 40 percent. This report is now ubiquitously associated with the case for sustainable business. In short companies with a sustainable business model will be the most profitable and competitive, those without one will likely fall out of the market.

Lagos is already a powerhouse for Africa – by driving sustainable private entrepreneurship and commerce, creating a level playing field and adopting impact standards such as those produced by the UNDP – Lagos could shortly be transformed into a powerhouse for the world.

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) will have to make public incentives for national carriers for the nation’s cargoes, as well publish an interpretation of national carrier status, according to its law.

Renowned marine engineer and a former Director-General, Government Inspector of Ships, Olu Akinsoji, made the observation on the backdrop of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) agreeing to an age-long demand for indigenous shipowners to be considered for carrying the nation’s wet cargo.

Speaking in an interview, Akinsoji said that “Now that this is going to happen, NIMASA must develop incentives for every vessel that wins that contract. They will have to refer to their law to interpret the national carrier status that is inherent in their law, because those vessels will become national carriers.

“To be given a status, there must be a definition of which ship carries that status.  Then, they will interpret it in such a way that they will itemize incentives for every of that vessel, because this is part of shipping development, which NIMASA has a responsibility to do.

“Any ship that wins the contract with NNPC on this platform, becomes an extension of the territorial waters of Nigeria, wherever it goes. So, the vessels must be given protectionism like every other country does for the vessel that carry their cargo.

“Importantly, there should be a written incentive to encourage Nigerian-flagged ships and improve them in a manner that they will be able to continue and sustain carrying Nigerian cargo.”

Akinsoji added that the development would enjoy a boost with provisions in the NIMASA law to use 25 per cent of its revenue for shipping development.

He urged that NIMASA should also work in a manner that prospective companies that will win that contract would not face barriers by way of tariffs of charges.

Akinsoji, who is also the pioneer Alternate Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the International Maritime Organisation in London, had expressed joy that the NNPC had added the clause to enable Nigerians participate in shipping of the nation’s wet cargo.

He said that: “It is an interesting development, not just for Nigerians to be given opportunity to carry finished products, but, it also means that the gate has been opened for indigenous participation. Nigeria has begun to recognise and take advantage of its resources as a sovereign nation.”

Speaking on the gains for the nation, Akinsoji said “Now, it means that the money we have allowed other countries to be using to develop their technology, improve their social economic development in their country, we will start to take it back into our country. And that is why everybody should be happy.

“Even if we do not have the capacity technically, we can now own or hire ships to carry those cargo, get insurance to cover the goods for delivery and make some gains from it. Physical gain, administration of hiring ships and also the technology that is involved in running ships. But, we have never done that. We portray ourselves as helpless nation that is incapable of developing itself to be able to give those services to the cargo we generate.”

The Executive Secretary/CEO of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) Mr. Hassan Bello paid a courtesy visit to the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) in Abuja recently.

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has licensed eight truck parks ahead of the Feb.27^th take-off date for its truck electronic call-up system.

Managing Director of the NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman, disclosed this on Monday to newsmen in Lagos.

She said that the NPA originally advertised for 13 truck parks, but only eight bidders qualified.

It would be recalled that the NPA had earlier in January 2021 began a sensitization about its new truck electronic call-up system known as ETO, for better management of truck operations along the port corridors.

The port city and its environs have suffered perennial gridlock as a result of poor access management of trucks in and out of the ports.

However, in her discussion with the newsmen, the NPA MD expressed confidence that the new call-up system would sanitize the movement of trucks as it would ensure that only trucks that have been called up would gain access to the ports.

On that note, trucks found clogging the port access roads would be impounded by the authorities.

The MD also directed that shipping companies get truck holding bays that can take at least 65 per cent of their containers, than use the roads for container staking, a situation she said the NPA would no longer accept.

The West Africa Container Terminal (WACT), Onne has acquired 15 new Kone Rubber Tyred Gantry Cranes (RTGs) to enhance service delivery at its terminal in Onne Port, Rivers State. The first batch of six RTGs has arrived at WACT, Onne.

The Commercial Manager of WACT, Mr. Noah Sheriff, who confirmed this in a statement issued by the company on Monday, said the concessionaire had commenced training operators of the highly technical cranes, which are the first in Nigeria’s eastern ports.

“We expect to deploy this first set of RTGs into operations in May 2021. Awareness campaign with the trucking community is also ongoing,” he said.

Sheriff said the deployment of the six new cranes “is the start of WACT’s transformation from the use of Reach Stackers to RTGs in the terminal, which will immediately increase our current import yard capacity.”

“We are expecting a total of 15 RTGs. With the delivery of the first set of six, we expect nine more, which will be delivered later this year,” he said.

In addition to the new RTGs, Sheriff said WACT took delivery of 8 new specialized terminal trucks last week to support the high incoming volumes.

He said the acquisition of the new cranes and terminal trucks is part of an ongoing USD100 million investment, which is “aimed at significantly increasing the terminal capacity for the benefit of our landside customers in the Eastern part of the country.”

He said, “We envisage significant volume growth; hence we embarked on an ambitious terminal upgrade, which includes both yard expansion and equipment upgrade.

“As part of the terminal upgrade project, we have successfully transformed our quayside model of operation by moving from ships gear operations to full Mobile Harbour Cranes (MHC) operations. Our terminal currently has four fully functional Mobile Harbour Cranes.

“We are also delighted to inform the port community that our contractors have mobilized on-site for the commencement of civil works in continuation of the upgrade. The civil works are scheduled to be completed this December,” he said.

The Managing Director of WACT, Aamir Mirza, said WACT has become one of the best-equipped container terminals in West Africa and has strategic plans for consistent improvement in every area of its operations.

“With our massive investment, WACT has established itself as the largest and most efficient container terminal in East Nigeria, creating thousands of direct and indirect job opportunities. We now receive large and gearless vessels that hitherto were only able to call at Lagos ports,” he said.

WACT, which started commercial operation in 2006, is the first Greenfield container terminal in Nigeria to be built under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. The terminal is located within the Oil and Gas Free Zone in Onne Port, Rivers State. Over the years, it has grown to become the most efficient gateway to markets outside the Lagos area.

Joshua Idiong, the Season 7 winner of ‘The Next Titan,’ Nigeria’s foremost entrepreneurial reality TV show, in company of the show’s Executive Producer, Mide Kunle-Akinlaja, visited SIFAX Group’s head office on Tuesday to appreciate the company’s support towards the success of the show and officially introduce the winner to SIFAX Group’s management team.

At the visit, they were received by Barrister Ezekiel Ajewole, Executive Director/Senior Special Assistant to the GEVC of SIFAX Group and other management team members.

Akinlaja thanked SIFAX Group for the support towards the last edition despite the harsh business environment occasioned by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are here today to say thank you for your support. SIFAX Group has been the only brand that has supported The Next Titan show right from the first season and despite the outbreak of the coronavirus last year, the company still supported us. The impact of the show on young Nigerians is far-reaching,” he said.

On his part, Idiong hailed the support given by SIFAX Group in actualizing his business dreams.

He said: “As a young entrepreneur, the support I got from SIFAX Group and other brands has really taken by business to the next level. Before winning the show, I was working with about 75 farmers in my oil processing plant. Right now, we are scaling our support to about 250 farmers and also introducing our palm oil product to the Lagos market and other parts of the country. We are also planning on exporting the product to other international markets too and have started building our own processing plant with the support gotten the show.”

In his response, Ajewole, assured the Next Titan Crew that SIFAX Group would continue to throw its weight behind the entrepreneurial reality TV show always.

“Dr. Taiwo Afolabi, the Group Executive Vice Chairman of SIFAX Group is a man interested in the growth and development of youths in Nigeria. I assure you that we will continue to support the show. I also want to urge the winner to make good use of the prize money in order to make us all proud,” he explained.

By Olu Akinsoji

We need to congratulate NPA for this overdue positive action. Surely the truckers and citizens working and living around the ports will be happy, even some of us who feel uncomfortable at the sight of trucks and tankers on Bridges and roads.

We hope that this noble action will mature and be part of the permanent solution to the age-long gridlock the Lagos port access roads.

The port management needs all the necessary support to achieve a successful and durable call-up system. As a member of the Port Consultative Council, my humble contribution is:

1.NPA should endeavour to make public the locations of the Parks, the capacities and facilities at each of the parks.

2.A regulation covering all aspects of procedures should be made for the administration of the call-up system. This will allow the duties, rights, privileges and punitive actions against abuses to be known by all concerned.

NPA until my last reading, has the power to make regulations through the Honourable Minister for matters of this nature.

It is an administrative activity that needs the enabling powers of the Minister. He hardly uses this power!! It will provide the necessary foundation for good administration: resource application and for the enforcement of procedures to achieve stress-free durable call-up system.

I wish all concerned the best.

Olu Akinsoji, is a Marine Engineer and Pioneer Alternate Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), London. He was Director General, Government Inspector of Ships.

In this edition of ‘CEOs Talk Business,’ the Chairman/CEO of Sea Transport Group, Alh. Aminu Umar, a former President of the Nigerian Indigenous Ship-owners Association (NISA) talks on the gains of having indigenous players partake in the commercial shipping business in Nigeria.

He draws attention to the fact that there is need for increased number of indigenous ship-owners in the cabotage trade where some Nigerians have been operating in the upstream sector of the Oil and Gas Industry. “It has to be more than the present 40 per cent participation,” he says.

On a more cherry news, Umar commends the proposed opportunity created by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for the indigenous shipowners to participate in the international shipping trade.

He looks at the big picture of how the new chapter would save the nation of capital flight and create thousands of new jobs for the teaming youths. But, purposeful policies to support ‘local content’ must be enacted and put to work immediately.

#AtTheMarinaToday, #CEOsTalkBusiness, #ShippingDevelopment

The Lagos State Government and Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) are working together to ensure sanity in traffic flow within the port city of Apapa.

The NPA has already set in place an electronic call-up system to ensure that trucks only come around the port area when they are called from their various approved truck parks.

A key point of note in this effort would involve impounding of trucks packed along the port access roads. This task will be taken care of by the taskforce that is already set up by the Lagos State Government.

The development was disclosed on Tuesday when Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu received the NPA Managing Director, Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman, in audience at the State House, Alausa.

Sanwo-Olu expressed optimism that the electronic call-up system would end the Apapa gridlock. He said the call-up platform would be complemented with virtual dashboards that would be placed in strategic locations around the seaports, where all stakeholders will monitor scheduling of container movement.

The governor praised NPA for the innovative approach towards tackling the menace of trucks around the ports, pledging that the state government would sustain the effort with strict enforcement of traffic regulations along the Apapa corridor.

“This is the beginning of a better journey time for our citizens within the Apapa seaports and environs. This electronic system has limited interface with security operatives and unions, which usually cause the gridlock problem. It will be a simple case of possessing electronic clearance. If you don’t have it, you don’t have any reason to be around the seaports.

“In enforcing the new regulations, we are deploying more than enough towing vehicles to impound erring trucks. The huge amount to be paid as fine for flouting the call-up system will be a deterrent for drivers not to repeat it. The stakeholders need to understand we are serious about ridding Apapa of the menace that has brought pains to our citizens living and doing businesses along the corridor,” the governor said.

Sanwo-Olu said the state government would be deploying 500 officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) to work with NPA and enforce the new rule, directing the agency not to spare any effort in achieving free flow of traffic in Apapa.

Usman said the visit was to brief the governor on the status of the electronic call-up platform before it would be fully launched.

She said the development underscored NPA’s commitment towards ending the menace of trucks around the seaports.

According to her, part of the advantages of the new system is the creation of eight approved parks where all trucks must first be stationed before being electronically called into the seaports.

Credit: The Guardian

Only about 40 per cent Nigerian participation takes place in the cabotage shipping trade , according to Alh. Aminu Umar, a former President of the Nigerian Indigenous Shipowners Association (NISA) and the CEO, Sea Transport Group.

The indigenous shipping firms are only involved in affreightment of wet cargo in the oil and gas sector with none participating in dry cargo transportation.

Umar stated this in an interview with OnePageAfrica saying: “If you look at the main purpose of enacting that act, it is really to foster growth because, really for a long period, our leaders have seen that Nigerians do not participate in this cabotage trade. If you go back in time, you will see that Nigerians were not participating, investing in this trade.

“Today, since the cabotage enactment, which only took effect in 2007, we have seen some growth in some Nigerians participating in the cabotage business, particularly in the oil and gas sector, and what we have not seen is Nigerians participating in the dry cargo carbotage trade. So far, I know that there is in the pipeline, a venture called Sealink that is geared towards participating in the cabotage trade, not only in Nigeria but, also in West African cabotage.

“So, in the oil and gas, if we go back to the wet cargo cabotage trade or the offshore services that is given to the upstream sector of the shipping or oil and gas, yes there is a growth of Nigerians participating, but it is not what is anticipated. The percentage of growth is very slow and we as associations of Nigerian shipowners have for some time been talking about this that at this stage today, more than 14 years of the cabotage, we should have a significant percentage, as it is still very low.

“If you are going to categorise the different parts of the business, if we take the wet trade, Nigerian-owned ships are not up to 40% of the market capacity. Supposedly, it should 100%. So, up till now are still within the 40% range. If you look at the offshore services, the boats that are there, the tugboats, the platform support vessels, the floating hotels and the rest, Nigerians do not constitute up to 40% there as well. So, we are still below the 50% mark, and there is nothing to celebrate. Yes, we have something but, we should actually have 100% participation.”

The cabotage shipping policy came into force in 2003 with provisions for waivers in areas where Nigerians do not have capacity.

Such waivers are to be granted by the Ministry of Transport with NIMASA implementing.

However, there have been allegations of abuse of the provisions with reports that foreign shipping companies are being favoured by both the NNPC and oil majors.