NIMASA takes over secure anchorage area
By Fredrick Wright
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has taken over the operations of the Secure Anchorage Area (SAA), few day after President Muhammadu Buhari cancelled the controversial anchorage contract earlier handled by Ocean Marine Solutions Limited (OMSL).
The OMSL contract in partnership with the Nigerian Navy, has been providing security services to foreign ships calling at the Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports in Lagos at $2,000 per day at a designated area in the water called the Secured Anchorage Area, became controversial when the Minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, in February last year announced its cancellation.
The ministry of transportation had secured $198million approval from the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to introduce a maritime security architecture called Deep Blue Project (DBP).
The DBP will oversee all maritime security matters in Nigeria and all anchorages in Nigeria will now fall under the DBP’s jurisdiction, including the Secure Anchorage Area. This is designed to reduce the need for private security in Nigerian waters, which increases the cost of shipping for goods imported into the country
In an update by Dryad Maritime, NIMASA will deploy two of its intervention vessels at the anchorage to secure vessels set to call at Nigerian port.
According to Dryad, NIMASA will deploy DB LAGOS and DB ABUJA with 8 Fast Interceptor attack boats to Lagos anchorage within this week to kickstart the project.
“NIMASA is now set to deploy security assets to provide security for the Lagos SAA. NIMASA will deploy DB LAGOS and DB ABUJA with 8 Fast Interceptor attack boats to Lagos anchorage within this week to kickstart the project.
“NIMASA will share with stakeholders the mode of operations, reporting detail for vessels entering the SAA and if any charges will be applicable to sustain the project,” it stated.
