Vincent Toritseju
Lagos — Nigeria’s shipping industry executives have said that Nigeria is not regarded as a shipping nation yet because it is not on the whitelist of the International Maritime Organization, IMO, among other deficiencies.
Speaking at the just-concluded annual conference of the Shipping Correspondents Association of Nigeria, SCAN, the Fleet Commander of Shipping Management Limited, SML, the shipping arm of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG, Capt Yusuf Ambali, said that until Nigeria finds its way into the list, it will not be regarded as a shipping nation.
Ambali also said Council member of the IMO is very crucial to any shipping country because decisions and policies that affect global shipping are taken and made at such levels and meetings.
He, therefore, called for concerted and deliberate efforts by both government and stakeholders in the industry to ensure that Nigeria becomes part and parcel of the IMO Council.
He stated that Nigeria’s absence at the Council has also affected the rating of its seafarers as Ghanaian seafarers are globally recognized while the certificate of their Nigerian counterparts is not even considered for employment.
Speaking in a similar vein, the former Vice President of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers, ICS, Mr. Tammy Adu, said that certificates of Nigerian seafarers are not recognized in Ghana.
Adu also said that until Nigeria gets into the IMO Whitelist, it will continue to be denied benefits from the global maritime industry.
Follow us on twitter
