The management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has hinted of its plans to expand the Deep Blue project, in furtherance of its sustained initiatives targeted at transforming Nigerian seaports into biggest and safest hub in Africa’s merchandize trade as the implementation of the Africa Continental Trade Agreement (AfCTA) continues to gain traction.
The Deep Blue Project is the first integrated maritime security strategy in West and Central Africa with the aim of tackling the incidences of piracy, sea robbery, and other crimes along the territorial waterways.
The Head of Public Relations Unit of the agency, Mr. Edward Osagie, in a statement issued on Thursday quoted the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, as making this disclosure during his visit to the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Idi Abass, at the Naval Headquarters in Abuja.
While commending the Navy for its collaboration with NIMASA in its roles in the maritime sector over the years, Mobereola congratulated the CNS, who had previously served as Maritime Guard Commander under the agency, on his appointment and expressed his management’s readiness to continue the agency’s partnership with the Navy.
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The NIMASA boss said: “It is important that we continue our partnership and strengthen our relationship. Our purpose here is to congratulate you, and to discuss the benefits of the Deep Blue Project; how to sustain it, expand it, and increase its impact on the Gulf of Guinea.
“We are confident that we have the backing of the President, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, and the Nigerian Navy, hence, we are working towards presenting our proposal on the necessary improvements to be undertaken.
“The Deep Blue Project is vital; countries around Africa and some other parts of the world are coming to copy our model. The IMO is asking how a civilian organisation was able to achieve this feat.
“It is, therefore, important that we continue to collaborate and do even better for greater sustainability”, Mobereola added.
In his remarks, the Chief of Naval Staff, also lauded the agency for the good work it had doing in the maritime sector and its continued support to the Nigerian Navy.
Abass said: “Part of my command’s objective is to work in synergy with other agencies to achieve our goal as a country. We complement each other. We have no option rather than collaborate and synergise.
“The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NIMASA and the Nigerian Navy which has been in place since 2007 should be revisited”, he added.
The CNS also urged the NIMASA’s management to consider the Navy for some of its technical jobs, including vessel repair, hydrographic surveys and charting in view of its competencies in these tasks, and the agency’s assistance for wreck removal, particularly as the Navy is planning to mark its 70th Anniversary and looking forward to welcoming foreign ships.
Also, the Naval Chief commended NIMASA for its recent unveiling of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) Application Portal, noting that the portal will remarkably enhance the operations of the agency.
