Single Hull Vessels: Master Mariner Urges NIMASA To Apply Strict Sanctions On Shipowners

By DAPO OLAWUNI

Even as the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has continued to pay lip service to phasing out single-hull tankers in Nigeria, President of Nigerian Association of Master Mariners, Capt Tajudeen Alao has urged the apex regulatory agency to start applying sanctions on shipowners still trading with single Hull.

In April 2001, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) had announced that it has approved a global timetable that would phase out all single-hull crude tankers within 15 years starting from September 2002.

However, nineteen years after, Nigeria is still struggling with implementation of this regulation, even as NIMASA has failed to take a decisive step at enforcing compliance.

In August 2020, Director General of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh had announced December 31st as deadline for phasing out of single-hull tankers in Nigeria. However, checks by our correspondent revealed that implementation of this directive is yet to commence.

Speaking with our correspondent, the Master Mariners President, Capt Alao said NIMASA must be firm in applying sanctions on erring shipowners.

According to him, Nigerians have a nonchallant attitude when it comes to vessel management, “It is not that they don’t have experience on managing ships, they don’t just want to care, and this their attitude should be taken against them because shipping is an international business with laid down procedures”

“You cannot invest so much millions, putting so many things at stake, the environment, security of lives and properties and at the end of the day say that you don’t know, I don’t believe in that excuse”

“The way out is education, sanctions and penalties, the regulatory authority should organise awareness for them”

“In 2002, the single and double Hull issue came up with the document of compliance, there was notice, from the Government Inspector of Shipping to NMA, but up till now, shipowners are still saying that they don’t have document of compliance, they still want to trade with single Hull, that is the typical Nigerian way of doing things”

Capt Alao argued that, shipping is an international business, there cannot be shortcuts, otherwise there would be disaster.

“The UNCLOS talked about the duties of everybody in terms of enforcement, in article 217, article 94 talks about duties, you cannot take money and buy ships without knowing what it is all about”

“There must be sanctions, the power of enforcement is international and it is domesticated in the books”

“The phase out period for single Hull tanker was in the flyers that was distributed by NIMASA but up till now, Nigerians prefer to rewrite history” he said