ISPS Code: US Coast Guard Indicts 58 Nigerian Oil Jetties

Fresh details about the recently released level of non-compliance with the International Ships and Ports Facility Security (ISPS) Code in Nigeria emerged last week. The list of non-compliance facilities was obtained exclusively by Shipping Position Daily, and it shows that several oil jetties and facilities were also not safe.

The United States Coast Guard had recently confirmed that 13 more port facilities in Nigeria are now fully compliant with the International Ships and Ports Facility Security (ISPS) Code bringing the total number of compliant port facilities in the country to 22, up from nine since its last visit.

But Shipping Position Daily can confirm authoritatively that, while attention of stakeholders were focused on conventional port facilities, the  United States Coast Guard actually  added that that not less than 58 jetties, including petroleum jetties operating in Nigeria are not compliant with the  ISPS Code.

Eyewitnesses Say Wednesday Night Explosion At Apapa Was Caused By Bomb Blast

Scene of the explosion that rocked Apapa on Wednesday night
showing security men and a mangled remians of a vehicle
INSET: Police anti-bomb vehicles at the scene

Even though relevant security agencies have said that the blasts that rocked the port city of Apapa on Wednesday night were caused by two petroleum laden trucks that exploded, eyewitnesses vowed yesterday that they blasts actually occurred when a car in which a bomb was allegedly hidden went off.
Although security agents were still visible at the explosion site, some eyewitnesses claimed that, security agents only came in after the explosion had caused serious damages.
Those who spoke with our correspondents were emphatic that, the twin explosions were caused when  a private vehicle loaded with explosives detonated in front of a major petroleum tank farm; Folawiyo tank farm in Lagos.

SCENE OF WEDNESDAY NIGHT EXPLOSION AT APAPA, LAGOS

FG Spends N46billion On River Niger, Jetty Development

The Managing Director of the National Inland
Waterways Authority (NIWA); Hajiya Maryan       

 ...As NIWA Woos Investors With Waterways Exhibition, Conference

 

Fresh indications have emerged that the dredging of the lower River Niger cost the government a whooping N36billion, while the sum of N13billion was also expended in constructing jetties and other ports.

These facts were presented yesterday by the Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) Hajiya Maryan Ciroma during a press briefing in Lagos to usher in the NIWA’s 2014 exhibition and conference.

Ciroma told journalist that NIWA is planning to hold a three days international conference tagged NIWA ICE 2014 in order to further open up the Nigerian waterways to local and foreign investors.

According to the NIWA boss, the lower river Niger dredging project covered a total of 500 hundred kilometers from Gwari to Baro area of the Niger.

In addition, Ciroma stated that the lower river Niger has also been dredged to 2.5 metres and that this will allow vessels and badges to navigate the water confidently at low tide

Nigerian Seafarers Join The Rest Of The World To Celebrate Day Of The Seafarers

Secretary General, IMO: Mr Koji Sekimizu and
DG, NIMASA: Mr Ziakede Akpobolokemi
 

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is galvanizing stakeholders for a celebration to mark the 2014 ‘Day Of The Seafarer’ in Calabar, Cross Rivers state.
The event is expected to be graced by private and public sector players in the nation’s maritime sector, including government officials and workers.
With some 90% of global trade transported by sea, developed nations would simply come to a standstill without seafarers. Much of what we do everyday relies on goods brought by sea - whether it is for energy such as fuel for our cars and airports, or gas for generating electricity, or indeed for millions of items that we take for granted.
June 25 of every year is the "Day of the Seafarer", the day is set aside to recognise the invaluable contributions seafarers make to international trade and the world economy, often at great personal cost to themselves and their families.

HORROR: Herbalist Buries Retired 68-Year-Old Customs Officer, Daughter Alive! 1

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a herbalist, Alhaji Olatunji Azeez, who allegedly buried alive a retired female officer of the Nigeria Customs Service whose identity was given as Angelo Kerry, and her 10-year-old adopted daughter; Obralulum Kerry.
Azeez was alleged to have killed the retired Customs officer and her daughter because he  reportedly owed them millions of naira and was finding it difficult to pay.
The officer-in-charge of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Ikeja, Lagos State, SP Abba Kyari, confirmed the development.
Abba KyariKyari said it was a case of ritual murder.

AUTO POLICY: FG Shifts Ground, Extends Implementation Date To January, 2015

Minister of Finance: Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and
National Coordinator of MAAG: Alhassan Dantata.

Weeks of intense lobbying over the effective date of implementation of the new automotive policy have paid-off as the Federal Government has granted an extension of the commencement date to January 1, 2015. It was to have commenced on July 1, 2014.

The new date is the aftermath of the lobbying machinery of different stakeholders which included freight forwarding associations, logistics organisations and importers.

The various lobbies were said to have been coordinated by a non-government organisation; the Maritime Advocacy and Action Group (MAAG).

By the new development, vehicles imported into the country will continue to pay the 35 percent duty, instead of the additional 35 levy that would have been collected as from July 1, 2014.

Trial Of Ex-NIMASA DG Hots-up As Prosecution Set To Call Last Witness

Former Director general of the Nigerian Maritime Administration
and Safety Agency (NIMASA); Me Temisan Omatseye

The celebrated case of contract splitting brought against the immediate past director general of  the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA); Me Temisan Omatseye is reaching a crescendo as a Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday granted the request of the prosecution to call its last witness.
Omatseye is standing trial on an amended 27-count charge bordering on the alleged offence.
The accused is being prosecuted by The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
When the case was mentioned, Chief Godwin Obla (SAN), the prosecuting counsel, informed the court that he had concluded the examination of his third witness, Mr Aliyu A. Aliyu.
He urged the court to allow him to invite one more witness before closing his case.

AS MLC 2006 KICKS-OFF IN NIGERIA:



From Left: Executive Director Maritime Labour and Cabotage Service ,
Barrister Calistus Obi, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and
Productivity , Dr. O.C. Illoh and the Director Labour Services, at NIMASA;
Mrs. Juliana Gunwa at the Official Ceremony to mark the commencement of
 implementation of MLC 2006 yesterday in Lagos       

• Ministry Of Labour Tasks NIMASA Inspectors On Integrity

•    But, NIMASA Passes Vote Of Confidence On Inspectors

Nigeria yesterday flagged-off implementation of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006, ending one year of anxiety about her readiness to meet the statutory one year moratorium on implementation, having submitted the convention’s instrument of ratification on June 18, 2013 at the Headquarters of the International Labour Organisation in Geneva, Switzerland.
And at a ceremony to mark the flag-off, the Ministry of Labour and Productivity charged the newly-appointed inspectors who will  enforce compliance with the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006, to uphold integrity in the discharge of their duty as the country may be blacklist from the convention if found wanting.

“We Cannot Do Without Our Stakeholders”------PTML Customs Boss

CG Customs; Alhaji Dikko Abdulahi Inde       

The Customs Area Controller (CAC) in charge of the PTML Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Mr. Adegoke Folorunsho has said that the command cannot do without the support of its stakeholders, even as he confirmed that the command enjoys a smooth relationship with its public.
The command has also explained that it has been unable to hold the usual monthly stakeholders’ meeting due to the power tussle in one of the freight forwarding associations; National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA).
A cross section of the operators at the command had lamented to our correspondent at the command in Lagos on Monday that they were being snubbed by the Controller because he had refused to call for a stakeholders’ meeting since he assumed duty at the command.

Oil Theft: EFCC Recovers 11 Vessels, 16 Trucks From Suspects

 The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said yesterday that it recovered 11 vessels and 16 trucks between January 2013 and June from suspected oil thieves.
The EFCC Spokesman, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, stated this in Abuja at a monthly media briefing.
He said that the commission investigated 21 oil theft cases, and charged 81 suspects to court within the period.
He said that the commission secured the conviction of two Indians, Salilesh Singh and Chadrashe Sharma, after successfully prosecuting them over oil theft.
According to him, the suspects were among the 12 suspected oil thieves arrested by the JTF in Brass, Bayelsa, in 2012 with 157,822 litres of suspected stolen crude oil.

• The United States Coast Guard

• The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency
  

ISPS Code:   NIMASA Says No Cause For Alarm, Number Of Compliant Facilities Increased By  11

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has assured local and international business community that it is on course in the match to make all port facilities in Nigeria to be in full compliance with the International Ships and Ports  facility Security (ISPS) Code.
The agency, in a reaction to developments arising from a statement issued in Lagos last week by the United States of America about the level of compliance of port facilities in Nigeria said that, the statement, which was misconstrued as a sanction was largely untrue.

ISPS Code: USA Hammers Nigeria

• Imposes Conditions Of Entry On Nigerian Vessels
• Says Only 22 Port Facilities Are Compliant

After almost one year of diplomatic ding-dong over implementation of  the all-important International Ships and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, the U.S. Government yesterday wield the big stick on Nigeria, imposing what it called ``Conditions of Entry (COE)’’ on vessels originating or calling from the nation’s seaports.
In what is an apparent categorization of Nigerian ports as non-compliant with the dictates of the ISPS Code, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria said in a statement, that it was henceforth, required that Nigerian vessels met certain security measures before entering U.S. ports.
The statement said that only 22 Nigerian port facilities in some unidentified ports would be exempted from the COE.

NAGAFF Advocates Harmonisation of Customs, CRFFN Laws

The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has urged both the minister of transport Senator Idris Umar and his counterpart in the ministry of finance; Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala to harmonise operational activities of both the Customs and excise Management Act (CEMA) and that of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN).

In a letter sent to the two officials, a copy of which was sent to Shipping Position Daily the association called for the setting up of joint technical committee of both CRFFN and CEMA.

The letter, which was signed by the scribe of the association, Mr. Increase Uche) noted that the two legislative instruments appear to be in conflict.

The association noted that:"Whereas the Customs law recognizes corporate bodies licensed by Customs, primarily the CRFFN lay emphasis on individuals whose name appear in the register of freight forwarding”.

Suspected Liberian-flagged Cargo Ship Catches Fire at Corpus Christi

A bulk carrier has caught fire while moored at the Port of Corpus Christi, Texas, with the extent of the fire currently unknown.

The fire broke out just before 3 p.m., according to local reports. Photos show smoke billowing from the ships cargo holds.

The Corpus Christi Fire Department is currently on scene.

According to  update from the fire department, it appears that wooden supports below deck used to support the cargo is what is burning. The ship is located at cargo dock 9, the fire department says.

The vessel appears to be the Liberian-flagged MV Antonio

Shonekan Says Piracy, Armed Robbery Hinder Development Of Maritime Industry

Former Head of State, Chief Ernest Shonekan

Former Head of State, Chief Ernest Shonekan, has said that sea piracy and armed robbery were responsible for the underdevelopment of the nation’s maritime industry.
Shonekan, who said this yesterday at the opening of the 13th annual Maritime Seminar for Judges in Abuja, added that the unwholesome activities were giving the nation bad name in the international community.
The former head of state, who is the Chairman of the three-day seminar, said that the negative activities in the industry were affecting the nation’s economy.
``Nigeria needs to collaborate with other African countries like Sao Tome and Principe, Benin Republic, Congo, Angola, Mozambique and the land-locked countries to tackle critical issues in the maritime industry,’’ he said.

NIMASA Launches Satellite Surveillance 1

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) last week deployed its recently acquired satellite surveillance system to rescue a Ghanaian Fishing Vessel; Marine 711, suspected to have been hijacked. The rescue was however carried out  in conjunction with the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Air Force.

According to NIMASA, the Ghanaian registered vessel was reportedly hijacked off the coast of Ghana and sailed across Togo and Benin Republic to Nigerian waters when the Embassy of the Republic of Korea contacted the agency to help rescue the vessel, which is owned by Koreans. The Ghanaian Fisheries Authority and the Operators of the Fishing Vessel joined in requesting NIMASA to bring the incident to a logical conclusion.

CRFFN May Deregister NAFFAC, AREFFN, Council Of Managing Directors

Barring any last minute change, the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) is set to remove the names of three associations from the list of its five registered associations.

Shipping Position Daily confirmed last week that the regulatory agency had last year submitted results of its assessment to the supervisory ministry of transport.

Our source at the ministry also confirmed that the trio of  National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLA), Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (AREFF) and National Association of Air Freight Forwarders and Consolidators (NAFFAC) have been recommended for  deregistration by CRFFN.

Confab Committee Alleges NPA Can’t Account For N540bn

• MD, NPA; Malam Habib Abdulahi and
Chairman, National Conference; Justice Idris Kutigi

•         Pushes for amendment of NPA Act

 

The Public Accounts Committee of the on-going National Conference has  alleged that the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) is unable to account for N540Billion.
The amount, according to the committee, which is headed by a former Governor of Kebbi State, Senator Adamu Aliero, was part of the revenue it generated between 2012 and 2013, adding that the amount was unaccounted for by the agency.
The Committee also said in its report that, NPA “operates under an ambiguous and unclear framework.”

It further said that “the level of remittance when compared to revenue is ridiculously low and unstable in spite of Authority’s explanation that a large percentage of the revenue was expended on operating costs and capital expenditure.

Freight Forwarding Associations Dare Shippers’ Council Over Fees Collection

The National President of ANLCA, Prince Olayiwola Shittu
and The National President of NAGAFF; Chief Eugene Nweke.     

• Collection Persists At Onne Port, PTML, Murtala Mohamed International Airport, Others    

Even though the Nigerian Shippers’ Council had recently directed them to stop collection of any fees at the ports, there are indications that freight forwarding associations namely; Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) and the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) have neglected the Council's warning by going ahead to collect transaction fees at some entry points in the country, notably seaports and airport.

The act reportedly generates millions of Naira into the coffers of these associations weekly.

Our investigations at some ports confirmed that the practice is still prevalent at Onne port in Rivers state, PTML and Murtala Mohamed International Airport, both in Lagos. There insinuations that it also clandestinely collected in other ports as well. This could however not be confirmed.