. . . Ship husbandry can rake in $15billion annually

. . . Commend NIMASA movement to its new Headquarters

By Godwin Oritse

THE Leadership of the Nigerian Association of Master Mariners, NAMM, has called the regulatory agencies in the maritime industry to move towards the localization of ship husbandry with a view to earning foreign exchanges from shipping services.

Speaking to Vanguard Maritime Report, President of the group, Captain Tajudeen Alao, said that shipping agents are usually pre-funded before arrival of the vessels.

Alao also said that ship agents husbanding ship in Nigeria will need Nigerians to service vessels that call at Nigerian ports by way of meeting the needs of the vessel and her crew.

Meanwhile,  NAMM has commended the leadership of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, for the movement of its Headquarters to Victoria Island, Lagos, saying that the movement should bring about improved services delivery.

Alao said that the movement is a welcome development adding that it must be followed up by good customer service.

He said: “It is a very welcome development and we want to it to be followed by good customer service and we pray for success for the management’’.

Meanwhile, President, Nigerian Licensed Ship Chandlers Association, NLSCA, Martins Enebeli, has said that ship husbandry like ship chandelling and other allied services for vessels visiting and operating on Nigeria’s waters can generate as much as USD15 billion annually for the country if well harnessed.

Speaking with newsmen in Lagos, Enebeli said that Nigeria has enormous “littoral strength”, to raked that much if the potentials are fully maximized.

He explained that ship chandling for instance involves supplying required commodities including food items, fresh water and groceries to a vessel and its crew amongst other items .

He said: “We are losing heavily. You cannot go and pass the China Sea or the Mediterranean and you will say that you will not be confined to the implementation of their regulations. There has to be a law in place that regulates these trade activities.

“With this done, more farmers will emerge, more jobs will be created in its huge quantum and our foreign exchange earnings will increase. Nigerians will be able to make as much as USD billion dollars from ship chandling activities.”