Stories By Godwin Oritse

EXHIBITORS at the just concluded Nigerian Maritime Exposition (NIMAREX) have scored the 2014 edition of the event low, saying that “this is the least attended since the exposition started four years ago”.

Speaking with Vanguard on the reason for the low turn out, Barrister Osuala Nwagbara, a maritime lawyer, said that this year’s event fell short of people’s expectation and that the organisers seem to have missed the purpose of  NIMAREX.

Nwagbara told Vanguard that the purpose of the exposition is to expose the potentials of the Nigerian maritime industry and encourage investors from within and outside the country to invest in the maritime sub-sector of the economy.

He explained that this kind of event is expected to be wholly bankrolled by maritime agencies like the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and other top maritime undertakings like shipyards and terminal operating firms.

He said that such sponsorships will be to the benefit of less successful and upcoming maritime ventures  and businesses.

“Such gains will include lower participation fees for individuals, I want to come and see ‘Bosuns’ on board vessel caterers and other smaller businesses that make up the vessel.

Different types of businesses should be able to come and network at the opening ceremony, they reduced the participation across board so that both small and big time operators and businesses can participate. It should not be designed to be a profit making event”, he stated.

Speaking in a similar vein, Captain Niyi Labinjo, a local shipping operator, said that this year’s edition was beautiful, noting that the absence of manufacturers of maritime products and providers of maritime services was not good enough. He opined that the need to exhibit the bits and pieces that form the vessel cannot be overemphasized as they  were also needed to be part of the event.

An exhibitor, Mr Opena Anobili of Bonny Channel Management Company Limited noted that exhibition stands were still being constructed on the day of the event.

He, however, advised the organisers to be more aggressive in their marketing drive.