NIMASA’s Floating Dock: Director-General, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, committed to resolving bottlenecks

By Labake Idowu

The new Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola, is reported to be on top of issues surrounding the N50 billion Modular Floating Dock and is fully committed to resolving them.

Stakeholders in the industry are getting agitated over the elusiveness of the Modular Floating Dock aimed at enhancing the country’s vessel maintenance and repair capabilities.

However, a staff of NIMASA who pleaded anonymity offered a critical perspective, saying, “The challenges we face with the floating dock can largely be attributed to the previous leadership’s reluctance to heed expert advice, which unfortunately has resulted in the asset becoming nearly outdated before being fully operational.”

“Dr. Mobereola has been thoroughly briefed about the current status and complexities surrounding the floating dock.

“He will be actively engaging with technical experts and stakeholders to expedite its deployment and ensure it operates at full capacity as swiftly as possible,” he said.

Recall that the acquisition of the dock was initially celebrated as a significant boost to Nigeria’s maritime infrastructure, aimed at enhancing the country’s vessel maintenance and repair capabilities.

During the tenure of past administration of the leadership of NIMASA, in February promises of relocation to the Continental Shipyard for utilization by the agency were made and celebrated but the deployment has yet to occur.

However, the floating dock has remained elusive thus fuelling concerns about transparency, accountability, underutilization and mismanagement. within the agency.

The delay has fuelled scepticism among industry observers who question NIMASA’s commitment to managing the multimillion-dollar asset effectively.

Criticism has been directed at NIMASA’s leadership, particularly under former Director-General, Bashir Jamoh, for perceived lapses in strategic planning and execution.

Former National President of the Nigeria Merchant Navy Officers & Water Transport Senior Staff Association, Engr. Matthew Alalade, expressed concerns about NIMASA’s decision-making process, calling greater consultation with stakeholders and consideration of concession the dock to established shipyards.

Otunba Sola Adewumi, President of the Nigerian Ship Owners Association (NISA), also called for accountability and transparency within NIMASA on the management of the dock.

Dr. Chris Ebare, Chairman of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS), emphasized the need for specialized expertise in overseeing projects like the Modular Floating Dock and suggested a re-evaluation of NIMASA’s approach, advocating for dedicated professionals to manage the asset independently of the agency’s leadership.