By Oko Ebuka

Nigeria has once again recorded the highest number of piracy attacks on vessels in the first quarter of 2019 in global statistics with a total number of 14 attacks.

According to the report released by International Maritime Bureau, IMB, on piracy attacks on vessels in the Q1, January – March, 2019, it shows that a grand total of 38 attacks occurred globally with Nigeria leading the chart with 14 attacks, followed by Venezuela with 4 attacks; while Ghana, China and Indonesia recorded 3 attacks each as other countries recorded 1 attack each.

The report further show that there is reduction on piracy attack on Nigerian vessels compared to Q1 2018 which recorded 22 attacks within the same period in 2018.

It also revealed in the report that a total of 14 piracy attack on global vessels occurred in January, while February and March recorded 12 attacks respectively.

In regional incidents, the report showed that Africa recorded the highest number of attacks with 22 incidents, America with 8, South-East Asia with 4, East Asia with 3, and Indian sub-continent with 1 attack.

According to the report also, a total of 6 actual attacks took place on boarded Nigerian vessels with 3 anchored and another 3 steaming, with zero highjack, 1 attempted attack and 7 fired upon with 4 incidents occurring in Lagos Sea alone.

The decline in piracy attacks has been influenced by the efforts of Nigerian Maritime Administrative and Safety Agency, NIMASA, in collaboration with Nigerian Navy, NN, to end piracy operations within the Nigerian waters as federal government procured security gadgets for fight against piracy and other illegal activities on the countries territorial waters.

Recall that DG, NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside recently expressed the Agency’s desire to work with other stakeholders and hasten the action on the passage of the Anti-Piracy and Other related Crimes at Sea into law to enable Nigerian vessels have free movement at seas.

He also stated that Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to its leadership role in the war on piracy and maritime crimes will be extended in all the region of Gulf of Guinea, an area wholly considered the global challenging maritime crime base in Africa.

By Oko Ebuka

Despite the efforts to stabilize the swift movements of trucks in and out of wharf in order to improve the ease of doing business in the maritime sector the situation is still getting worse as the securities of Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, have been accused of collecting bribe and promoting favoritism against the ethics of call-up system.

In an exclusive chat with Vanguard Maritime Report, a stakeholder of Association of Maritime Truck Owners, AMATO, Goddy England, disclosed that NPA security personnel don’t welcome the idea of call-up number system as it prevents them from collecting bribes from truck owners.

According to Goddy, “NPA security department don’t welcome call-up number as they are collecting bribe up to N5, 000 from creek road to the gate.

“Some people pay their way to go without call-up. They don’t check their manifest because of the bribe given to them. Once they give them some huge amount of money for the truck to go, the following day the truck will get delivery. You will see some people indulging in forgery and still make their way to the port at the end of the day.

“But we that follow the normal procedures will be there for three to four weeks so we are losing. My drivers are complaining because they will be on the road before getting to Apapa. Now they are in Lilypond since two weeks as it has not come to their turn because it has not being stamped and signed but some people will go in today and get it today. The thing supposed to be normal process, first come first serve.

“With the huge amount of money we are spending now, N50, 000,- N60,000 for container, at the end of the day the truck will still be three weeks waiting for stamping. They have points, if you get to this point you pay, before you get to Apapa you will spend up to N30, 000.

“If really they are working, all the trucks will enter Lilypond and from there pick off”, he added.

In addition to this, one of the truck drivers, Geoffrey Nwosu also told Vanguard Maritime Report that it takes up to 2-3 weeks before getting their trucks cleared from Lilypond due to delay in the call-up number.

“There is always a delay in call-up number and it takes us 2-3 weeks before gaining access in Lilypond”, Nwosu complained.

On the issue of sticker, Goddy England lamented on the N11, 000 fee charges for minimum standard sticker by the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, which adds no value to their truck business as they are always harassed by NPA security agencies.

In his words, “we pay N11, 000 for sticker for over two years now. What is the safety of the sticker? They claimed it is for minimum standard but we can’t see anything standard about it as we keep on suffering from the harsh conditions within and outside the port.

“You can calculate the number of trucks with this sticker and see the huge amount of money they are collecting from us you will be surprised”, he concluded.

By Oko Ebuka

A group of seafarers in the Nigerian maritime industry have expressed their dissatisfaction over injustice and unnecessary extortions they encounter in the hands of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, as it limits them from having access to proper benefits meant for seafarers.

The protest which took place inside the premises where NIMASA was commemorating the seafarers’ day celebration 2019, showed the protesters with placards indicating their highlighted interests.

Speaking to Vanguard Maritime Report, the group’s spokesperson, Mr. Ayodele Adeshola said that NIMASA is charging them fees comparing their counterparts in other nations which prevent them from getting their outright benefits as seafarers.

According to him, “we are the seafarers. We are the grassroots for the seafarers, the Ratings. We are suffering. The way NIMASA treating us Ratings is unfair; they have not been carrying the Ratings along because in terms of welfare, it is so low compared to other of our colleagues internationally.

“Our wages is so low, the way they treat us on-board through act of discrimination among Nigerians and foreigners.

“Also, some other policies introduced by NIMASA affecting us is the endorsement of discharge as they collect N3, 650 unlike in High Court which collects N500 for the same endorsement.

“And we can’t get the endorsement in court because of our profession requires a body like NIMASA to endorse it as they are in control of the seafarers while court is for the public.

He further disclosed that the group is not happy with the awful treatment they are getting from NIMASA concerning their medical certificates which is very essential before gaining entrance on-board.

“In terms of medical, our medical fee is so high, NIMASA collects N30, 000 for medical and without the medical you can’t go on-board and sometimes the medical certificate is not available even after going for the medical therefore denying you the seafaring privileges in so many ways.

“At the same time, they have introduced so many things that are depriving us to go on-board such as watch keeping. Watch keeping exam, they are writing it quarterly instead of monthly and if you eventually miss this exam because of one issue or another, you will pay another fee for it.

“All these things are affecting us and they are part of our agitations today.”

He however, pleaded for NIMASA’s intervention through dialogue for the issues to be resolved.

“Today is a seafarers’ day in which we need to deliberate on the affairs of the seafarers, but NIMASA has taken over the day.

“This celebration is a mere political gathering as the real seafarers whom should be celebrated are being sidelined by the agency.

“We are soliciting for them to reduce all these prices and dialogue with us Ratings so that they will know what we are passing through on-board and understand what our pain is”, he concluded.

By Oko Ebuka

The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council, NSC, Mr. Hassan Bello, has weighed the importance of National Fleet to the nation’s economy as something beneficial with exponential boost to the economy if implemented.

Speaking at an event in honor of the World Seafarers Day 2019, organized by Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, with the theme: “On Board With Gender Equality”, recently held in Lagos, Bello said that the country having realized a total sum of $9 billion between foreign ship owners as freight on dry and wet cargoes in 2015 alone, can surpass the figure if the national fleet will be authorized.

According to Bello, “Nigeria for example in 2015, bring a total sum of $9 billion as freight on dry and wet cargoes between foreign ship owners, imagine what it could have been if we have the national fleet.”

He praised NIMASA’s effort in making sure that the pending project sees the light of the day through the collaboration with the National Committee on Fleeting.

“I am happy that NIMASA is collaborating with the national committee on fleeting to ensure that it is conformed.”

Also while speaking particularly on the theme of the event; Mr. Bello urged all Maritime sectors in Nigeria to acknowledge the importance of seafarers as over 60 percent are from 10 nations like Philippines, Indonesia, China, Turkey, Russia, India, United States, Ukraine, wales and Japan, while the remaining percent are from the rest of the world.

In his words, “Over 60% of the world seafarers are supplied by 10 nations, Philippines, Indonesia, China, Turkey, Russia, India, United States, Ukraine, wales and Japan.”

He agitated for the promotion of gender equality by eliminating all forms of discrimination and social vices which affects women in seafaring activities as their number is highly insignificant.

“According to International Transport Workers, ITW, only about 2% of the world’s 1.25 million seafarers are women. Seafaring is therefore a male dominating profession.

“Most of these women, 94% work under the titles of persons such as in boats and ferries, only about 6% of women work on cargoes

“According to International Maritime Organization, IMO, generally, women work as hotel staff or passing the ships, of this group, 5.1% of women are from The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, OECD, countries, 23% from Europe, 13.7% from America, and sadly, only 1.7% are coming from Africa.

“The reason for the low percentage of women in the seafaring is the harsh working environment from the sea to other issues such as harassment, gender disparity, violent harassment and inappropriate comments.

“For instance, over 18% of women seafarers globally have complained about sexual harassment by their male counterparts.

“And according to 2015 survey, jointly carried out by Women International Shipping and Trade Association, the International Maritime Organization and the International Seafarers on the fierce network has handed cognizance to the issue, this otherwise is pending on the profession”, he concluded.