MARITIME SECURITY: NIMASA Hosts Danish Delegation, Advocates Reduction in War Risk Insurance on Nigerian-Bound Ships

By DAPO OLAWUNI

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has called on the government of Denmark to advocate for a reduction in war risk insurance premiums on ships bound for Nigerian ports, citing the significant improvements in maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.

This call was made during a meeting with a Danish delegation led by Kristin Skov-Spilling, Chief Technical Advisor from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at NIMASA headquarters in Lagos on Thursday.

Dr. Dayo Mobereola, Director General of NIMASA, represented by Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Chudi Ofordile, welcomed the delegation, expressing appreciation for their visit.

He highlighted NIMASA’s existing collaboration with the Danish government through the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KIPTC) on maritime law enforcement and expressed interest in expanding cooperation in areas such as conflict resolution, peacekeeping, and maritime security.

Ofordile emphasized the significant impact of the Deep Blue Project, commissioned by NIMASA in 2021, in mitigating piracy and kidnapping in the Gulf of Guinea.

“The records are clear that since that intervention, there’s been a great reduction and in some years outright elimination of piracy and kidnapping in the Gulf of Guinea,” he stated.

However, he lamented the lack of a corresponding reduction in war risk insurance premiums and freight costs. “But, unfortunately, we haven’t seen a commensurate response in terms of the reduction in the world’s insurance premium paid. And even the cost of freight movement,” he said, urging the Danish government to address this issue.

“We expect that there should be a reduction in those costs I mentioned earlier,” Ofordile asserted, emphasizing the substantial investments made by NIMASA in maritime security.

He expressed frustration at the disconnect between government-led sanctions and the assertion that insurance companies are private entities when seeking premium reductions. “I won’t go as far as calling it an International conspiracy, but something just have to be done about it to encourage Nigeria because a lot of investments have been made in the Deep Blue Project,” he added.

Ofordile also highlighted NIMASA’s financial commitments to the entire Gulf of Guinea region and called for greater collaboration to achieve sustained security. “Largely, the ball is now in the court of the other party (shipping companies) to engage fully, so that we can all collaborate and achieve security in the Gulf of Guinea,” he said.

Speaking earlier, Kristin Skov-Spilling outlined the Danish delegation’s regional visit, which included Ghana, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and Benin, focusing on maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.

She detailed the Danish government’s support through partnerships with UNODC, Interpol, and KIPTC, as well as military cooperation.

During an interactive session regarding the war risk insurance premiums, however, she stated, “In terms of the larger issues of War Risk Insurance Premiums, I cannot really make any statement on that because these shipping companies are private entities so I cannot make any statements on that. However we have taken notes.”

Mrs. Owolabi Gladys, head of the Deep Blue Project at NIMASA, provided statistical evidence of the project’s success, noting the absence of piracy incidents since 2022, with only one robbery recorded in December of the previous year.

She also highlighted opportunities for collaboration in skill acquisition centers established by NIMASA, aiming to provide alternative livelihoods and enhance information sharing in coastal communities.

“NIMASA as an agency has spent so much, and they need to be encouraged in terms of grants,” she said.

Isa Amodu, from NIMASA’s ISPS Code Implementation Unit, expressed interest in collaborating with the Danish government on port security and ship interfacing, recognizing Denmark’s strong maritime tradition.

The meeting concluded with NIMASA expressing its readiness to partner with the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs to achieve the mission’s goals.