Coast clear for NIMASA to deploy Modular Floating Dock

By Abiodun OBA

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA is now set to deploy the Modular Floating Dockyard as all grey areas between it and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) have been cleared.

The Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, OFR, made this known during the take-over of areas leased to it by the NPA at the Continental Shipyard for the operations of the Modular Floating Dock.

The areas include but not limited to the dolphin jetty, waterfront of the jetty adjourning the slipway, an administrative block, a construction, welding and mechanical workshop and a civil maintenance workshop, among others.

During the handover ceremony, the DG who was represented by the Head, Public, Private Partnership, PPP, Unit Mr. Kabiru Diso reiterated, “The Modular Floating Dockyard is a national asset and now that all grey areas between the NPA and NIMASA have been addressed, we are very close to the deployment of the Modular Floating Dock.

“Our goal is to domicile dry-docking of vessels in the country thus saving the nation foreign exchange currently expended on dry-docking vessels outside the shores of Nigeria.

“The floating Dock will also provide both direct and indirect employment to Nigerians with a multiplier effect on capacity development”.

The Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission, ICRC, had issued a certificate of compliance for an Outline Business Case (OBC) for the operation of the floating dock, while also describing it as bankable and sustainable.

The Modular Floating Dock, which has the capacity to handle up to 10,000 Metric Tons vessels, is expected to be run on a Public Private Partnership arrangement.