Two terminals operating in Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre, Lagos, ShellPlux and TMDK have been shut down by the management of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
The big hammer fell hard on the two terminals for violating the provisions of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, one of the key instruments produced by the global maritime watchdog, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) which has its headquarter in London, United Kingdom.
NIMASA which remains the Designated Authority (DA) for the implementation of the ISPS Code in Nigeria said in a statement made available to Maritime Bits that it took the decision in order to enforce the provisions of the code.
Its words: “The enforcement action follows persistent non-compliance by the facilities with the provisions of the ISPS Code, despite several formal warnings. The move aligns with global best practices and is in accordance with Section 79(f) of the ISPS Code Implementation Regulations (2014), which mandates the closure of any facility that remains in violation for over three calendar months.”
Speaking on the development, the Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, emphasized the agency’s commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime domain.
“In wielding the big stick, we acted only as a last resort,” he said. “Our primary goal is to enforce safety and security practices across Nigerian ports and jetties. At a time when we are collaborating with the United States Coast Guard to lift the conditions of entry on vessels from Nigeria, we cannot afford lapses that jeopardize our progress”, he added.
The statement which was signed by NIMASA Assistant Director, Public Relations, Mr. Osagie Edward quoted Mobereola saying that the facilities would be reopened once all compliance requirements are satisfactorily met, acknowledging their important role in service delivery and trade facilitation.
According to him, our Honorable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Adegboyega Oyetola is committed to enhanced sustainable trade facilitation for the maritime sector in a safe and conducive environment.
Maritime Bits had reported that the ISPS Code, an amendment to the SOLAS Convention, was developed by IMO to enhance maritime and port security, particularly for facilities engaged in international trade across the globe.
