Maritime
U.S. to Accredit Nigeria Maritime Exposition
LAGOS – The United States of America government has stepped up efforts to make the annual Nigerian maritime exposition accredited and certified.
Tagged NIMAREX, the Nigerian maritime exposition, which has consistently taken place in Eko Hotel, Lagos in the last three years, has become a rallying point for shipping practitioners within and outside the shipping sector of the economy.
However, foreign companies, especially those in the maritime industry have not embraced the exposition, which has become a rallying point for stakeholders in recent times.
An initiative of Nigerian Ship owners Association (NISA), the exposition is fashioned after the offshore technology conference (OTC) in the oil and gas industry, which takes place annually at Houston, Texas.
The fortune of the maritime exposition may change for the better however as the US Government has expressed her readiness to accredit and certify the exposition.
Outgoing Commercial Counsellor of the United States Mission to Nigeria, Mrs. Rebecca Armand, dropped the hint at a dinner organised in her honour by the Nigerian ship owners. The dinner, which took place in Lagos, was organised under the auspices of NISA.
Armand disclosed that her department has commenced the process of getting NIMAREX accredited and certified by the US Mission in Nigeria as “one of our United States Department of Commerce certified trade fairs.”
When completed, she said the accreditation would enable American companies participate in the annual expo which is a brainchild of NISA.
Her words: “I am leaving but I am not leaving. I will still be working on so many things in Nigeria but really in the broader context of Africa. I am going to be working on President Obama’s ‘Doing Business in Africa’ campaign and translating that into something for our domestic offices so that we can get them to help you better in terms of when you are trying to do business in the United States and also the Power Africa initiative that President Obama mentioned when he was in South Africa.
“He has pledged the resources of the United States to add what I think are too small amount – 10,000 or 20,000 mega watts – to the grids in six countries in Africa. I think we have to do more and we are going to be harnessing, training, and doing trade promotion activities all across the board to help get power to Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Liberia; and Nigeria is the biggest partner in this.
“We are going to be signing an MoU on that. So I am very lucky that I get to continue to work on that while in Tampa, Florida. So I am working away but I am not walking away. I am still going to be around and hopefully I will be back at some point. I just want to say that I am deeply honoured to be here for more than three years and to have met all of you and to have worked with you in creating and strengthening the wonderful friendship that we have”, she said.
Armand expressed confidence in the ability of Nigerian ship owners to hold on to their own given the right support. She said she would continue to work with them even in her new assignment under the President Obama administration in the USA.
Said she: “NISA was one of the very first organisations that I worked with when I came into Nigeria and it is one of the few groups that I particularly invite back, invite to my home and that is because you all are special and I just feel so comfortable and happy helping you with all these things.
“What have I learnt and what have I been able to do over the past more than three years since we first arrived, so many things. I think I took on a good chunk of what you asked me to take on, probably not everything. Despite my best effort the government does not move at the speed of light. The emails kept coming and I have tried to respond.”
She said she had worked very closely with some opinion groups in creating training programmes for the maritime sector.
At the occasion which attracted several stakeholders in shipping sector of the economy, the Chairman of NISA, Chief Isaac Jolapamo, commended Armand for supporting the aspirations of Nigerian ship owners. Jolapamo said the farewell dinner was organised by NISA in honour of Armand.
His words: “It is about four years now that ISAN welcomed Rebecca Armand to Nigeria and I make bold to say to you that we have not misplaced our priority by doing so, and she has also lived to our bidding to the extent wherever she will be, she will always be in our minds because she has done very well for the association in terms of assistance beyond visa applications and our going to the World Boat Show and the rest of it.
“It has really gone far beyond that and we will miss you but at the same time we all know that we all have to move on at one point or the other for the progress of not only ourselves but our countries and our race”.
The dinner was attended by several Nigerian ship owners and other stakeholders in the maritime industry.
– THIS DAY
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has called for a comprehensive action in Nigeria’s bid to be elected into Category C of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council, as he inaugurated an Inter-Ministerial Committee to promote the campaign.
Speaking at the inauguration held at the Boardroom of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy (FMMBE) in Abuja on Tuesday, Oyetola said the campaign must be all-inclusive, taking into consideration diplomatic and operational strategies in soliciting votes to yield good dividends.
He explained that, having lost out three times between 2011 and 2019 after its successful stints in 1975, 2001, and 2005, Nigeria is due to return to the Council to cement its relevance as a strategic Maritime domain and a strong voice in West Africa.
On his part, the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), said, “The need for Nigeria’s return to Council is imperative given our strategic location and significance as a hub of Maritime activities and as a voice for the sub-region on the IMO Council, where crucial decisions regarding international maritime shipping and trade are made.”
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He added that membership in the Council comes with such benefits as “technical assistance, manpower and institutional development, as well as political influence in the maritime sector of the global economy.”
The inter-ministerial committee for Nigeria’s election to the IMO Executive Council at the 34th Regular Session in 2025 comprises high-level officials led by the Permanent Secretary of the FMMBE, Olufemi Oloruntola.
The committee is tasked with identifying activities and actions that will promote Nigeria’s standing in the IMO community by articulating and showcasing the country’s maritime achievements.
Members of the committee include the Director of Maritime Security and Safety from the FMMBE and the Director-General of the NIMASA, who will serve as alternate chairpersons.
Other members are; the Directors of Legal Services and Maritime Services from the FMMBE, the Director of International Organisations Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), the Managing Director of the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority, and the Rector of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron.
Others include the former Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Ade Dosunmu (stakeholder); the representative of the Office of the Honourable Minister of the FMMBE, Dr. Charles Akinola; and the Assistant Director, Maritime Pollution Control at the FMMBE, Mr. Paschal Ogah, who will serve as Secretary to the Committee.
Meanwhile, the Direvtor-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola, has officially presented the six IMO instruments assented to by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, GCFR, to the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy.
He thanked the Minister for facilitating the signing of the IMO Conventions, noting that, ‘these six conventions have been pending within the Ministry and government for the last 6 to 8 years. With the efforts of the Honourable Minister, they have now been assented to by Mr. President and will be delivered and showcased with the IMO.’
Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed the instruments of accession for six Conventions of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
This action paves the way for Nigeria to officially deposit these instruments of accession at the IMO headquarters, which serves as the repository for such conventions. This move is expected to enhance Nigeria’s maritime governance and align its practices with international standards, promoting maritime safety, security, and environmental protection.
It was gathered that the six instruments signed by President Tinubu are the Instrument of Accession of the Protocol of 2005 to the 1988 Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Fixed Platforms on the Continental Shelf, the Instrument of Accession of the International Convention of Standards of Training, Certification, and Watch-keeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel 1995; and the Instrument of Accession of the Protocol Relating to Intervention on the High Seas in cases of Pollution by Substances other than Oil, 1973 as Amended (INTERVENTION PROTOCOL).
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Others are the Instrument of Accession to the Protocol of 1996 to Amend the Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims (LLMC) 1976; the Instrument of Accession to the Protocol to the 1974 Athens Convention Relating to the Carriage of Passengers and Their Luggage by Sea, 2002; and the Instrument of Accession to the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009.
Presenting the instruments to the Hon Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, the Director-General of NIMASA, expressed his gratitude to the Minister for facilitating the signing of the IMO conventions by the President after several years of being pending in the Ministry.
In his words, “These six instruments have been lying within the Ministry for the last 6 to 8 years, and thanks to the efforts of the Honorable Minister, they have now been assented to by the President. This is a landmark achievement for Nigeria, as the IMO will soon update our records to recognize these instruments.
On his part, the Honorable Minister reassured stakeholders of the President’s commitment to developing the Nigerian maritime industry in line with global best practices.
By signing these instruments of accession, the President has reaffirmed this administration’s determination to take its rightful position among the comity of maritime nations. This development will undoubtedly further reassure member states and stakeholders of Nigeria’s resolve and determination to be a leading member of the decision-making body of the IMO.
The deposit of these six instruments of ratification will be carried out by the supervising Ministry, and NIMASA.
Following the recovery of the Flight Data Recorder FDR and Cockpit Voice Recorder CVR otherwise called the black box, of the Helicopter that crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near Bonny Finima, Port Harcourt, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) will share details of her findings therefrom with the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Biztellers reports that the black box was recovered last weekend through an inter-Agency collaboration involving NIMASA, the Nigerian Navy (NN), the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), the NNPC Ltd, HydroDive in addition to other local and international search and rescue partners.
On the incident, the Director General of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, commended all organs of government for the swift, and well-coordinated inter-agency partnership for the search and recovery operations.
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He revealed that NIMASA will share information on the incident with the IMO.
In his words, “In line with international maritime safety standards, NIMASA will report the findings about the helicopter crash into the Atlantic Ocean to the International Maritime Organization IMO via the Global Integrated Shipping Information System GISIS.
“By sharing the findings of the offshore Port Harcourt helicopter crash with the IMO, we at NIMASA demonstrate Nigeria’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and cooperation within the global maritime community”.
The GISIS is an online platform developed by the IMO to support the timely and accurate reporting of incidents, accidents, and other essential maritime data. This platform enables member states to share information crucial to improving safety protocols, updating best practices, and fostering international cooperation.
According to Mobereola, “NIMASA is committed to working closely with all relevant Agencies to determine the cause of the incident and to take all necessary steps to prevent future occurrences. As we mourn those lost, NIMASA reaffirms its dedication to the safety of Nigeria’s maritime domain and the continued strengthening of inter-agency collaboration.
On October 24th 2024, the Agency had received distress signals at the Regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) and the C4i center of the Deep Blue project and shared same with the Nigerian Navy who immediately deployed the NIMASA’s specialized search and rescue assets to the crash site to locate the downed aircraft and conduct recovery efforts under challenging conditions.
The helicopter crashed in the Atlantic Ocean near Bonny Finima, at a distance of 1.4km from the starboard side of the Floating Producing Storage Offloading FPSO, NUIM ANTAN Producing Ltd owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC Limited).
The NIMASA working closely with the NN, the NSIB, the NNPC Ltd, HydroDive and other local and international search and rescue partners recovered the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) from the Sikorsky SK76 helicopter, registration 5N BQG.
It was gathered that with the recovery of the black box, over 80 percent of the helicopter wreck had been recovered. Other items recovered include rotor, three blades, engine, gearbox, windows, cockpit overhead panels, the Electronic Locator, Transmitter (ELT) and the tail. All the recovered wreck is on a dump barge.
Meanwhile, the DG NIMASA has extended the Agency’s heartfelt condolences to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation NNPC Limited, the families of the victims, and all those affected by the tragic helicopter crash.
He stated, “Our deepest sympathies are with the NNPC, the families, and loved ones of those affected by this unfortunate incident. Safety is a paramount commitment for us at NIMASA, and we remain resolute in our partnership with the Nigerian Navy and other stakeholders to ensure effective, rapid response in emergencies.”
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