Kunle Kalejaye
28 December 2016, Sweetcrude, Lagos — Less than two weeks following the shut-down of three jetties and port facilities for non-compliance with the provision of International Ship and Port Facility Security, ISPS Code in Nigeria by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, the affected facilities has been reopened.
They include Heyden Petroleum Jetty Ijora Lagos; Waziri Jetty, Dockyard Road Apapa Lagos and Starz Marine Shipyard Limited Onne in Rivers State.
NIMASA had earlier stated that these facilities persistently failed to comply with the ISPS code which necessitating their closure in order to forestall a situation where security breaches in such facilities will negatively impact the compliant ones.
The agency explained that all three facilities have already taken steps towards complying with the provisions of the code and also provided commitments in writing to remedy the lapses that led to the initial closure within the shortest time possible.
The reopening of these facilities according to NIMASA is in line with its Management’s commitment to creating the enabling environment for businesses to thrive in the maritime industry in line with global best practices.
According to the Director General, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, “we want to facilitate business growth in the sector and not to stifle it. The facilities have been reopened because of the steps were already taken and the commitment given by the owners. NIMASA will however not hesitate to sanction these and any other facilities that contravene the provisions of the ISPS code which we have resolved to fully implement in Nigeria.”
In order to guarantee the safety of ships and port facilities in the country, NIMASA as the Designated Authority (DA) for the implementation of the ISPS code in a statement stated that it has made it a continuous exercise to monitor the compliance level of all facilities so that non-compliant ones do not jeopardise security in the sector.
The three facilities earlier shut were in the exercise of the Agency’s powers in line with the provisions of Part VIII of the ISPS Code Implementation Regulations 2014 under which the facilities were adjudged to be non-compliant despite repeated warnings to remedy the deficiencies.