Maritime
Merchant navy laments maritime law implementation
LAGOS-The Nigeria Merchant Navy Officers and Water Senior Staff Association has lamented the non-domestication of the Maritime Labour Convention 2006, nearly a year after its certification.
A composition of over 68 existing conventions and recommendations on seafarers, the MLC 2006 provides for the effective management and regulation of employers/employees relationship.
The Nigeria Maritime Safety and Administration Agency had in June 2014 begun the implementation of the MLC 2006, after its ratification in 2013.
The President of the association, Mr. Matthew Alalade, said, “Although NIMASA commenced the implementation last year, the MLC 2006 is still not in force in Nigeria because it is yet to be domesticated. We have got existing laws such as the Merchant Shipping Act, NIMASA Act and so on, which all have similar features with the MLC 2006.
“It is the Ministry of Transport that is responsible for pushing the MLC 2006 to the National assembly and it has been passed to them by NIMASA; NIMASA is yet to do this. They should coordinate with the Ministry of Labour and Transport to ensure that this is done.”
Alalade expressed regrets that NIMASA, which was formerly in the forefront of the ratification of the convention, had slowed down with its implementation.
The Secretary General, NMNOWTSSA, Mr. Julius Efokpor, said the non domestication of the convention was a dangerous development for seafarers in the country.
He said, “Shipowners are aware of the part that they have to play and some are working in tandem with the convention. However, if things continue as they are, it will get to a time when the shipowners will realise that the regulatory body is doing nothing about the implementation and they will stop trying to conform to the convention.
“Already, there are certain areas of the convention that are being flouted. For one, you are not supposed to engage any seafarer without the representative of the union being present but people are doing the contrary.
“Then the new salary scale is yet to be implemented; there is a bench mark salary scale for seafarers. What is in force presently is the old salary scale. All these things can be quickly and easily corrected once the MLC has been domesticated.”
Under the MLC 2006, shipowners are to provide evidence of compliance with provisions of Employees Compensation Act 2010, Pensions Reform Act 2004, National Health Insurance Scheme 1999 and any amendments when requested.
NIMASA had convened a special session of ship-owners, seafarer employers, manning agents and seafarers last year, to acquaint them with their rights and obligations under the MLC 2006.
The Director, Maritime Labour Services Department, NIMASA, Mrs. Juliana Gunwa at the session, had said, “Shipowners are to ensure that each seafarer on board has a comprehensive, well understood written contract of employment which includes detailed terms and conditions, provisions for repatriation and distress of seafarers and social security benefits among others.
She had also outlined the responsibilities and obligations of manning agents and seafarers and enjoined them to comply with all the regulations of the MLC 2006.
The Assistant Secretary General of the NMNOWTSSA, Mr. John Aleakhue, while urging seafarers to come forward in cases of maltreatment, called on qualified seafarers seeking employment to liaise with the association and register with them.
He said prospective employers often preferred to employ qualified seafarers through the association.
Punch-
Maritime
NIMASA Makes Dockworkers Registration Compulsory
The management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has advised International Oil Companies, terminal and jetty operators, and all other companies involved in stevedoring in the country to refrain from engaging unregistered dockworkers.
The information was contained in a statement made available to Biztellers by the Head, Public Relations, NIMASA, Osagie Edward.
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According to the statement, all stakeholders, including dock labour employers and stevedoring companies, are encouraged to apply for new operating licenses or renew expired ones within a 30-day moratorium period.
“This requirement,” it added, “is stipulated by the NIMASA Act of 2007 and outlined in the NIMASA Stevedoring Regulations of 2014, which mandates strict compliance from all maritime operators.”
Osagie cited the Director General, NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola as laying emphasis on the need for stakeholders to comply with extant laws and regulations.
Dr Mobereola said, “No terminal or company shall continue to engage the services of unregistered dockworkers for cargo handling at their work locations.
“This move is part of our broader effort to ensure safe and regulated operations within Nigeria’s maritime industry. Compliance with these regulations will enhance our ability to maintain an up-to-date database of dockworkers operating in the country. It also improves our planning processes, as we are committed to developing their capacity to meet globally accepted standards for dockworkers in Nigeria. We intend to enforce full compliance after the moratorium period.”
It was gathered that the NIMASA Act, 2007, Part IX, Section 27, addressed the registration of Dockworkers with focus on Maritime Labour.
“It ensures the Registration, Regulation, and control of Maritime Labour, including dockworkers. The Act assigns the Agency the responsibility of maintaining standards in accordance with international best practices,” Osagie added.
Maritime
Maritime Diplomacy: Nigeria Seeks Election Into IMO Council
Nigeria has expressed a strong desire to seek election into Category “C” of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council.
The Honorable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, made the disclosure at the 2024 World Maritime Day parallel event in Barcelona, Spain.
Oyetola noted that Nigeria has put in place the basic needs for the development of her maritime industry in line with recognized global best practices.
In his words, “our active participation in upholding key conventions, such as the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, reflects our dedication to ensuring the safety of international shipping.
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There have been no incidents of piracy in the last three years, as confirmed by the International Maritime Bureau (IMB). By deploying resources to provide maritime security assets, Nigeria has solidified its role as a key guardian of maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.
Nigeria remains a valuable source of manpower for the industry. I therefore urge our partners to explore this potential and assist where possible in the best interest of all. Our Maritime Academy has adequate resources and facilities to support this development.
“I am pleased to announce Nigeria’s resolve to seek a Category “C” membership on the Council.
On his part, the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola, assured that no stone will be left unturned to ensure success in the quest for IMO Category C membership at the next elections.
According to him, “We at NIMASA have met with the IMO technical team and have commenced work on all identified grey areas so that Nigeria can address the gaps identified during the last audit by the IMO.
”We have also commenced the process of effective communication with other member states using the IMO GSIS platform, among others. While we at NIMASA focus on the technical aspects of the preparations, our supervising Ministry will provide the political will to guide Nigeria back to the Council at the IMO.”
Oyetola, who held engagement sessions with the IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez and other diplomats, was accompanied on the working tour by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olufemi Oloruntola; the Director General of the NIMASA; the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho; the Managing Director of NIWA, Mr. Bola Oyebamiji; and the Director of Maritime Safety and Security Services, Mr. Babatunde Bombata.
This year’s parallel event with the theme: Navigating the Future: Safety First, brought together international maritime leaders and experts to discuss future challenges and opportunities, with the aim of ensuring that safety is prioritized in the day-to-day operations of the global maritime sector.
Maritime
Why PPP Is Necessity For Nigeria’s Maritime Infrastructural Dev’t – Mobereola
The adoption of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model is essential for the infrastructural development of Nigeria’s maritime sector.
This is the view of the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola.
The DG, shared his views while hosting the Director General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Dr. Jobson Oseodion Ewalefoh.
He emphasized the importance of the Commission’s increased involvement in attracting private investors to develop infrastructural capacity in Nigeria’s maritime sector.
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Dr. Mobereola said, “We appreciate the Management of the ICRC for being responsive. However, you know that the maritime sector is capital intensive and government funds cannot solely put in place the required infrastructure. We need the ICRC to develop PPP based business models that will be attractive to the private sector both from within and outside the country.
“There is the need to streamline processes by the use of technology, as we will continue to count on the support of ICRC to help drive the Agency’s PPP projects for effective and efficient service delivery to our stakeholders”.
Lending support to Dr. Mobereola’s views, Dr. Ewalefoh, underscored the significance of the maritime sector to Nigeria’s economy.
He noted that the PPP model would facilitate increased funding and expertise from the private sector, thereby accelerating the growth and development of the Nigerian maritime sector. Additionally, he stated that the ICRC is prepared to engage with the Agency on its projects and ensure timely execution.
“There is no time to waste; our country needs lots of funding for infrastructure and we need to create an enabling environment for activities to thrive. First, is service delivery, not revenue generation, and people will be willing to pay if they get the right services”, the ICRC boss noted.
The PPP model has proven to be the most viable approach worldwide for driving government policies that promote development and economic growth.
Biztellers reports that as a regulatory agency and Nigeria’s Maritime Administrator, the NIMASA has consistently embraced collaboration and partnership through the PPP initiative to ensure the growth and development of the maritime sector.