NIMASA DG says ISPS code is key component of maritime security architecture in Nigeria

NIMASA DG says ISPS code is key component of maritime security architecture in Nigeria

* As UK organisation applauds Nigerian Maritime Agencies on synergy

The Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Bashir Jamoh says implementation of International Ship and Port Facility Security Code, ISPS, is a major component of maritime security architecture the agency is implementing in Nigeria.

Jamoh stated this while receiving in audience the Deputy Head of International Maritime Security Operations Team, IMSOT, Jim Hamilton, who led a team on a working visit to assess the level of compliance of some Ports facilities in the country with ISPS Code.

In a press statement signed by Assistant Director, Public Relations department of NIMASA, Mr.
Osagie Edward,
the DG was represented by the Agency’s Executive Director of Operations, Mr. Shehu Ahmed. He noted that the importance of an effective implementation of ISPS Code regime cannot be overemphasized.

This, he said, necessitated the Nigerian government to domesticate ISPS Code Implementation Regulations since 2014, bearing in mind that it is an integral aspect of Safety of Life at Sea, SOLAS, Convention.

He also welcomed the peer review mechanism from IMSOT.

“We at NIMASA have such a peer review arrangement with the United States Coast Guard, which has been highly effective in developing capacity for ISPS Code implementation. We are working to extend the relationship to other countries. This we believe will ensure that our personnel possess the requisite skills and competencies to execute their responsibilities in line with the mandate of the ICIR 2014.

“The importance of exposure of our personnel to the legal regimes and security operations of other contracting governments is not lost on us”. He said.

While assuring the team that steps have been taken to address areas of concerns raised during their last visit in 2018, the NIMASA DG informed IMSOT team that the Agency is also taking steps to tackle activities of pirates in the Gulf of Guinea through the Deep Blue Project initiative of the Federal Government, in addition to Suppression of Piracy and other Maritime Offences (SPOMO) Act, which is gradually yielding results.

Speaking after a working visit to some Port Facilities in Lagos, the Deputy Head of International Maritime Security Operations Team, IMSOT, Jim Hamilton expressed satisfaction at the level of cooperation and synergy existing among Government Agencies in Nigerian maritime industry, adding that they will share knowledge with NIMASA to ensure optimum implementation of ISPS Code in Nigeria.

Hamilton also expressed readiness of IMSOT to share ideas on their operations in the United Kingdom (UK) and to train personnel of the Agency to foster better cooperation with Nigeria.

“The initiative will not only foster collaboration and cooperation through knowledge acquisition and sharing among member states, but also consolidate the gains in implementing maritime security, as well as identifying areas of improvement for both parties”, He said.