The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is seeking private sector participation over its forthcoming 5th largest floating dockyard expected in the country soon.

The agency’s Director General, Dr Dakuku Peterside, who was represented by the executive Director, Finance & Administration, Bashir Jamon said this in Lagos during the ceremonial launching of four acquired 60 Tons Bollard Tug boats by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

Jamon explained that the commissioning of this “four tug boats will no doubt assist in the daily operations of the NPA as well as enhance the turn-around time of vessels calling at the ports”.

According to him, “before now, attention had always been in the recurrent expenditure in Nigeria, but with the advent of the current administration, focus has shifted to the capital expenditure which is the catalyst to economic growth and development. And so this is a right step in the right direction.”

Plugging revenue leakages
“Infrastructural development is very crucial to the growth of the maritime sector and by extension the Nigeria economy. Particularly, now that the Nigerian government is diversifying the economy in order to create more jobs and generate revenue, the efforts of the Management of the Ports Authority in Nigeria will go a long way in assisting the government realise its agenda and also help plug revenue leakages in this time that the country is trying to get out of recession.”

“You might have read it in the news, but let me also state here that NIMASA will soon take delivery of the 5th largest modular floating dockyard on the African continent,” he stated.

Direct savings
Jamon said the Dockyard will save the Nigerian government at least, 100 million Dollars annually through direct savings from the dry docking of vessels operating in the country, which are mostly done outside the country at the moment.

“It is our desire to partner with the private sector to run the dockyard. This and many more are the initiative the agency is putting in place to better the fortunes of the Nigerian maritime sector.”

He assured of the agency’s commitment to continue its collaborative efforts with other ‘sister’ agencies and Parastatals in the maritime sector in order to realise their mandate of ensuring a safe and secured maritime domain for business activities to thrive and in line with global best practices.