Eniola Peters
The apex maritime regulator, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has issued detention order for MT Navigator Capricorn, a Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) carrier for contravening sections of the Cabotage Act.
The agency explained that the vessel was first boarded in October 2018 and discovered that all infractions of Cabotage non-compliance.
After a 90 days grace period to comply, the owners made undertaking to remedy the notable infractions when the vessel was issued a detention warning in October 2018 but they failed to rectify the breach.
Its Director-General, Dr. Dakuku Peterside said: “While NIMASA is currently engaging the owners and charterers of the vessel on the need to comply with the laws of the land, MT Navigator Capricorn has been moved to Lagos Anchorage to allow space for other LPG vessels to discharge at the NOJ Jetty.”
Meanwhile the agency has said that it would no longer grant application of any form of waivers under the Cabotage Act.
It noted that cabotage law forbid foreign vessels operating in the nation’s territorial waters.
Already, NIMASA has commenced clampdown on vessels that do not comply with the provisions of the Cabotage Compliance Strategy (CCS) introduced last year to ease the implementation of the Cabotage Act 2003 in the country.
Dakuku said that granting of waiver to foreign vessels does not help the growth of the Nigerian maritime sector and economy at large.
In a statement by the agency’s Head, Corporate Communications, Isichei Osamgbi, the director general said that there shall be no sacred cow when the agency commence clampdown on erring vessels.
Dakuku said: “We want to increase the number of Nigerians who participate in the marine aspect of your business and we are working closely with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) to have a joint categorization of vessels operating under the Cabotage Act in order to ensure the full implementation of the Act.”
