NIMASA DG harps on digital communication as key to effective port administration

NIMASA DG harps on digital communication as key to effective port administration

Dr Bashir Jamoh making  presentation during the launch of Denmark’s first commercial satellite :

The Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Bashir Jamoh, OFR, has declared that international collaboration to attain standardized digitalization is essential for Maritime Administrations globally, as well as all stakeholders in the maritime sector to effectively communicate in line with provisions of the International Maritime Organization IMO.

This, he said is imperative for International Association of Marine Aids for Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities, IALA.

Dr Jamoh made this known while speaking at the launch of Denmark’s first commercial satellite, Sternula-1, in Aalborg, Denmark.

He stressed that NIMASA participates in testing stage of an international satellite system that would improve communication channels for vessels at sea, as part of the current Management’s quest to ensure adoption of global best practice in the Nigerian maritime sector.

According to him, IMO sets the requirements for e-Navigation strategy implementation plan while, IALA develops the technical solutions such as AIS as part of measures to ease and promote digital communication in the maritime industry.

He emphasised : “Ultimately, seaborne transport depends on a secure and trustworthy flow of information. In this new reality, access to quality data is essential for ship managers to make decisions, act on market opportunities, and meet new requirements. A well digitalized system leads to faster access to information, improved customer experience, increase in productivity, lower operational costs, improved decision making, improved information security, higher mobility, and automation of business processes amongst others”.

About the Port Sector, Jamoh explained; “Digitalization is the foundation of Smart Ports and Digital Twins, both technological tools and solutions that can transform real-time data into accurate and more precise business decisions, rendering port operations extremely effective. It also interconnects all sectors of the maritime supply chain.

“Digitalization transforms organizations from reactive to being proactive in areas such as safety and safety reporting. There are massive untapped potentials for the shipping industry to improve its operational efficiency through harnessing ship-to shore data flows that can positively impact commercial, environmental and safety performance reporting processes.

More so, recall that NIMASA, in the third quarter of 2022, had signed a Letter-of-Intent with Danish telecoms company Sternula, on participation in the Worldwide AIS 2.0 Demo Project that will allow for early testing of digital services over the satellite-based AIS 2.0 at the beginning of 2023. Sternula-1 and the built-in AIS 2.0 technology, also called VDES, is a new communication solution to implementing a global e-Navigation strategy. AIS 2.0 is an extension to AIS, adding two-way data channels over VHF by using special satellite channels which means that every ship with a VHF antenna will be able to communicate globally.