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| R-L: Dr. Dakuku Peterside, Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), with Mr. Jens-Peter Kjemprud, Norwegian Ambassador to Nigeria, Capt. Joseph Owodeha, General Manager, Operations Charkin Maritime and Dr. Mkgeorge Onyung, President of Shipowners Association of Nigeria (SOAN), at the interactive session with the global maritime community today at the ongoing Nor Shipping Conference 2019, in Oslo, Norway. |
Nigeria has invited the
entire maritime world to a global security summit to collaborate in developing
a robust maritime security system to combat the security threats in the Gulf of
Guinea.
entire maritime world to a global security summit to collaborate in developing
a robust maritime security system to combat the security threats in the Gulf of
Guinea.
The Global Maritime
Security Conference (GMSC) which the country will host in Abuja between October
7 – 9, 2019 will afford the international community a platform to develop
actionable strategies to finally put an end to piracy and other security
threats in the region.
Security Conference (GMSC) which the country will host in Abuja between October
7 – 9, 2019 will afford the international community a platform to develop
actionable strategies to finally put an end to piracy and other security
threats in the region.
Dr. Dakuku Peterside, The
Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency,
(NIMASA), the country’s maritime regulator, issued the invitation today at the
ongoing Nor Shipping Conference in Oslo, Norway.
Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency,
(NIMASA), the country’s maritime regulator, issued the invitation today at the
ongoing Nor Shipping Conference in Oslo, Norway.
He was speaking at a forum for
international investors on the Investment Opportunities in Nigeria’s Blue
Economy.
international investors on the Investment Opportunities in Nigeria’s Blue
Economy.
The director general said
the summit will also afford the international community an opportunity to tap
into the vast investment potentials in the Nigerian maritime industry.
the summit will also afford the international community an opportunity to tap
into the vast investment potentials in the Nigerian maritime industry.
These
potentials span ship building and repairs, fleet development, ship financing,
port infrastructure development, maritime tourism, renewable energy ferry
services, seafarer training, research and development, offshore logistics for
the country’s oil industry, and aquaculture.
potentials span ship building and repairs, fleet development, ship financing,
port infrastructure development, maritime tourism, renewable energy ferry
services, seafarer training, research and development, offshore logistics for
the country’s oil industry, and aquaculture.
Dakuku noted that “the
conference will bring together officials from international agencies,
governments, donor partners, shipping firms, oil and gas industry, navies
and coastguards and maritime regulators across the globe, to discuss the
options for tackling security challenges in the Gulf of Guinea, an area which
accounts for more than 70 per cent of Africa’s oil and gas production and five
per cent of global proven energy reserves.”
conference will bring together officials from international agencies,
governments, donor partners, shipping firms, oil and gas industry, navies
and coastguards and maritime regulators across the globe, to discuss the
options for tackling security challenges in the Gulf of Guinea, an area which
accounts for more than 70 per cent of Africa’s oil and gas production and five
per cent of global proven energy reserves.”
The objectives of the
conference include defining the precise nature and scope of coordinated
regional responses to maritime insecurity, evaluating the relevance of various
external interventions and moving towards policy harmonisation and regional
cooperation.
conference include defining the precise nature and scope of coordinated
regional responses to maritime insecurity, evaluating the relevance of various
external interventions and moving towards policy harmonisation and regional
cooperation.
The conference will also tackle threats to maritime security,
strategise alternative approach to prevent cyber security threats and advocate
for deeper global commitment to the deployment of resources for ending maritime
insecurity within the region in the shortest possible time.
strategise alternative approach to prevent cyber security threats and advocate
for deeper global commitment to the deployment of resources for ending maritime
insecurity within the region in the shortest possible time.
Peterside said the success
of Nigeria in tackling insecurity along its own stretch of the Gulf has been
down to robust investment in intelligence and maritime security assets as well
as the commitment of the authorities to ending the threats.
of Nigeria in tackling insecurity along its own stretch of the Gulf has been
down to robust investment in intelligence and maritime security assets as well
as the commitment of the authorities to ending the threats.
These investments made
under Nigeria’s Deep Blue Project will see to the acquisition of two special
mission aircrafts, three helicopters and unmanned air vehicles.
under Nigeria’s Deep Blue Project will see to the acquisition of two special
mission aircrafts, three helicopters and unmanned air vehicles.
Others are two
special mission vessels and 17 interceptor patrol crafts.
special mission vessels and 17 interceptor patrol crafts.
This is in addition
to the land assets which include 16 armoured vehicles and an intervention team
of 340 highly trained personnel.
to the land assets which include 16 armoured vehicles and an intervention team
of 340 highly trained personnel.
The entire project also takes advantage of
satellite technology to monitor the Nigeria’s exclusive economic
zone and feed real time information to a command and control centre.
satellite technology to monitor the Nigeria’s exclusive economic
zone and feed real time information to a command and control centre.
He said the Nigerian zone
of the Gulf has been become relatively free of security threats and is now
relatively safe, a position corroborated by the Norwegian ambassador to
Nigeria, Jens-Petter Kjemprud.
of the Gulf has been become relatively free of security threats and is now
relatively safe, a position corroborated by the Norwegian ambassador to
Nigeria, Jens-Petter Kjemprud.
The ambassador said
Nigeria’s tackling of the security issue is so impressive that for more than a
year he has not had call for help from Norwegian seafarers plying the route.
Nigeria’s tackling of the security issue is so impressive that for more than a
year he has not had call for help from Norwegian seafarers plying the route.
He
also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for setting up a high-powered
commission to decongest the approaches to the Apapa Port, five days after he
raised alarm on the situation.
also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for setting up a high-powered
commission to decongest the approaches to the Apapa Port, five days after he
raised alarm on the situation.
Already, Norway and Denmark have committed to
partner with Nigeria in the organisation of the Global Maritime Security
Conference.
partner with Nigeria in the organisation of the Global Maritime Security
Conference.
Peterside said security was
only one area of improvement in the maritime component of the ease of doing
business in Nigeria.
only one area of improvement in the maritime component of the ease of doing
business in Nigeria.
He pointed at other interventions to include the building
of a modern railway system to link all the ports to the hinterland, investment
in truck transit parks, fixing of access roads and the reduction of the number
of agencies at the ports.
of a modern railway system to link all the ports to the hinterland, investment
in truck transit parks, fixing of access roads and the reduction of the number
of agencies at the ports.
The Director General is the
Head of the Nigerian delegation, which also includes ship owners and other
stakeholders, to the Nor-Shipping Conference and Exhibition 2019, a gathering
of all major players in the global maritime industry.
Head of the Nigerian delegation, which also includes ship owners and other
stakeholders, to the Nor-Shipping Conference and Exhibition 2019, a gathering
of all major players in the global maritime industry.
