12-Years After, NIMASA Revisits Lloyd’s-NLNG Audit Report On Ship Registry, Signs Agreement with Bermudian Flag for Fresh Systems Audit

By DAPO OLAWUNI

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) had said that it has revisited the report of an audit carried out by the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) and Lloyd’s Register, on cleaning up the Nigerian ship registry, and ensuring that all NLNG Vessel fly the Nigerian flag.

Director General of NIMASA, Dr Mobereola who confirmed the development at the 16th Marine and Technical Summit of the Association of Marine Engineers and Surveyors (AMES) in Lagos on Thursday also hinted that the agency has just concluded an agreement with the Bermudian Flag, to equally carryout another audit of the ship registry.

Represented by Eng Patrick Eigbe, Head of Maritime Safety and Seafarers Standards, Dr Mobereola recalled that 12 years ago, Lloyd’s and NLNG had carried out a joint audit of the ship registry and presented the report to NIMASA to close out the gaps before they are convinced that they can register their vessel under the Nigerian flag.

Our correspondent reports that 12 years after, the report and the lapses identified are yet to be implemented or corrected for the betterment of the Nigerian flag, thereby making the flag unattractive to shipowners.

However, speaking at the AMES Summit, Dr Mobereola said his administration has found it very necessary to make the Nigerian flag attractive.

“Recently, we engaged the NLNG to see how we can kick-start that process, we are almost setting up a working group, however, it has been 12-years down the line, and a lot of things have happened over time.
“So we have to look at the report, see the trend, see what to add and look at how to close those gaps.

“I will assure the audience that we have done alot, for example, our processes are digitalised now, a situation whereby you have handwritten seafarers discharge books that is prone to errors is now a thing of the past.

“Now, the discharge books are such that, it looks like what we have in our international passport with immigration.

“These were the errors that have been complained about ,by the time they see errors and they want to contact the flag state, they may even dial the number and not get any response, so they just tussed the book somewhere and move forward, but now, we are addressing all that.

“The issue of seafarers records is also very important, you must be able to do a pre-check of any certificate you want to confirm, we are working towards that and I believe that at the end of the day, you will see a new change and our seafarers fortunes will be more attractive.

“Our flag too, like i said, we just finished a process, we are trying to get the Bermudian Flag to come and do an audit of our system after we have done our own audit with Lloyd and NLNG.

“At the end of the day, everybody would be satisfied and we are going to chart a new course for our seafarers, vessel owners and our flag” he said