NPA unveils strategies for clean energy in shipping
By Eniola Idris
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has unveiled its strategies towards building a sustainable shipping future, exploiting huge opportunities to reduce airborne pollution, carbon emissions that renewal energy technologies present.
Managing Director, NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman, who disclosed this at the just concluded Decade of Gas Conference organized by the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) in Abuja, said the authority strategically primed most of its reform initiatives to align with the impacts of global energy transition
Bala Usman said the NPA is poised to embrace partnerships and support policies and actions steps aimed at optimising the advantages that the endowment of over a hundred trillion cubic feet of natural gas can bring to bear on Nigeria’s economy.
She noted that with the expansion of opportunities in the sector and gas related investments and projects (such as floating storage and regasification units and LNG bunkering floating platforms), there would be more opportunities for Offshore Support Vessels (OVS) and the attendant economic benefits.
“This is why we must strive to provide the enabling environment for productive operations, with international best practices in mind,” the NPA boss said.
Bala Usman said she had signed a directive with strict timelines for full compliance with and enforcement of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Sulphur Regulation on Nigerian Waterways late last year.
The new regulations, known as IMO Sulphur Regulations 2020, mandates a maximum Sulphur content of 0.5% in marine fuels globally. The driver of this change is the need to reduce the air pollution created in the shipping industry by reducing the Sulphur content of the fuels that ships use.
She said NPA has also taken concrete steps towards the procurement of necessary tools to enhance our capacity for Sulphur analysis as well as put in place a sanction regime for vessels that contravene the Sulphur regulations.
“This is of particular interest due to the fact that Nigeria’s gas quality is reputed to be high and virtually without Sulphur and should be of compelling utilization in the maritime sector as the transition from High Sulphur Fuel Oils (HSFO) to the use of natural gas which is more environmentally friendly by vessels plying our waterways is a most welcome development becomes a reality,” she stated.
She said the Authority is poised to automate and employ technological innovation in all its areas of operation, as evident in the recent introduction of an electronic truck call up system at the Lagos ports.
