MARITIME THIS WEEK: A Recap of Major News and Events

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2019

On Monday September 2, Nigeria maritime 360 in its editorial, focused attention on Customs Joint Border Patrol.

The medium says every sovereign country secures its borders against all form of criminality such as terrorism, illegal immigration, smuggling, banditry and other anti-trade practices.

It is the preserved prerogative of such country to put up any measure that will safeguard the social and economic well being of its citizens against any harmful or illicit practice that may gain access through its borders.

The medium agreed that border security and control are inalienable rights of countries irrespective of any regional or international collaboration with other countries.

It was on this premise that Nigeria, last month, decided to tighten its border control in a joint exercise code-named EX-SWIFT RESPONSE.

Nigeriamaritime360 however regretted that in as much as it commends this effort of government to secure the country’s borders in the face of rising economic and social crimes in the country, it found the method adopted distasteful.

It therefore reiterated its call for the use of modern technology , intelligence gathering and information sharing among relevant security agencies as more decent way of combating illicit activities at our borders without disrupting free flow of legitimate businesses and Immigration at these places.

Also on Monday, the Standard Organisation of Nigeria sought ministerial approval to return to Ports

Two years after it was sent parking from operating inside the ports with an Executive Order issued by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, fresh indications emerged that the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) was planning to stage a comeback into Nigerian ports.

Director General of SON, Mr. Osita Aboloma let this out when he visited the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Richard Adebayo, emphasizing that the minister must ensure that the personnel of the SON gets approval to return to the nation’s seaports; saying 80 per cent of goods and products entering Nigeria came in through the seaports.

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

Oil Prices fell as market eyes trade war

Oil prices fell on Tuesday as the ongoing U.S.-China trade war cast a pall over markets, with soft South Korean data adding to concerns over emerging markets and a rise in OPEC output.

U.S. crude CLc1 was down 26 cents, or 0.5 per cent, at 54.84 dollars a barrel by 0644 GMT, while Brent LCOc1 was down 6 cents at 58.60 dollars a barrel.

The U.S. this week imposed 15 per cent tariffs on a variety of Chinese goods and China began to impose new duties on a 75 billion dollars target list, deepening the trade war that has rumbled on for more than a year.

U.S. President Donald Trump said both sides would still meet for talks later this month.

South Korea’s economy turned out to have expanded less than estimated during the second quarter as exports were revised down in the face of the prolonged U.S.-China trade dispute, central bank data showed on Tuesday.

A move on Sunday by Argentina to impose capital controls is also casting a spotlight on emerging market risks.

Also on Tuesday, Merchant Seafarers justified the collection of ‘War Risk’ Charge by foreign vessels

The Merchant Seafarers Association of Nigeria gave reasons why the ‘War Risk’ charge levied on Nigerian shippers may not stop anytime soon.

Secretary General of the Association, a maritime security expert and Anti-Piracy Security Service (APASS) official, Capt Alfred Oniye in a chat with our correspondent in Lagos, noted that presently, 90% of vessels doing business globally do not want to enter into the Gulf of Guinea because of the rising spate of attacks on ships.

He described Nigeria as the headquarters of piracy and illegal activities in Gulf of Guinea. According to him, when the pirates finish operating on the international waters, they come back to Nigeria and rest.

WEDNESDAY SEPT 4

NIWA warns against illegal dredging in Delta
The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA),Warri Area Manager, Mr Shaba Afeso said illegal dredging had to stop, warning those engaging in illegal dredging in Delta to desist and register with the authority or face the consequence of their illegalities.

He gave the warning in Warri on warning that the authority would no longer plead with illegal operators, saying that henceforth, the authority would commence arrest and confiscation of their equipment.

“Some dredging works are purely detrimental. We are going to move against those people now.

“People have to pay for their offences. That is the position of the authority now concerning illegal dredging.

“We have been pleading and talking about it. Since it is not yielding the desired results, we will take a very tough stand,’’ he said.

Afeso advised those in the dredging business to come to NIWA for clearance before commencing their business.

NIS President urges NIMASA to unbundle ship registration process

President of Nigerian Institute of Shipping (NIS) Capt Tony Onaharigho has charged the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to change its policy on ship registry by deregulating the maritime sector and put in place an open registry.

Capt Onaharigho who was recently appointed by the Liberian Maritime Administration as their Deputy Ship Registrar, spoke with our correspondent in Lagos and advised the newly inaugurated ship registration committee of NIMASA to come up with measures to simplify the process of vessels adopting the Nigerian flag.

He lamented that registering a vessel into the Nigerian flag is too cumbersome, according to him, it takes six months to successfully register a vessel under the Nigerian flag, whereas in other countries, it takes not more than 24 hours.

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 5

On Thursday, Seafarers sought collaboration with Navy to flush out impersonators, illegal maritime school operators.

The Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association (NMNOWTSSA) called on the Nigerian Navy for collaboration against illegal practitioners who impersonate the association as well as unregistered maritime school operators.

The National President of the association, Engr.Matthew Alalade made the call during a working visit to the Western Naval Command (WNC) headquarters in Lagos.

He appealed to the Naval Officers to help nip the activities of illegal organisations that referred to themselves as Merchant Navy Officers but use the name to carry out illegal deals.

Alalade who was accompanied by other executives of the Association disclosed that there are unregistered schools that teach nautical subjects but were not registered as maritime training institutions.

He therefore called on the Navy to help flush out the illegal schools. He appealed for the assistance of the Navy to enable the association carry out its function effectively.

FRIDAY SEPT 6

Most Nigerian Freight Forwarders are quacks – Ikokide

On Friday, the Nigeria Institute of Freight Forwarders and Customs Brokers (NIFFCB) called on the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) to make mandatory training for freight forwarders a prerequisite for registration.

President of the Institute, Dr. Zebulon Ikokide told our reporter that most of the practitioners of the freight forwarding in Nigeria were quacks because they lacked the basic knowledge of the trade.

As a result, he said he had sent a proposal to the Council to make sure that all freight forwarders should undergo mandatory courses that will enlighten them on the ethics of the profession so that they will know what it entails.

He added that due to the lack of training, a lot of havoc is wrecked in the industry as individuals jostle for money making without consideration for the development of the economy.