ISPS: NIMASA begins evaluation of Nigerian ports, maritime assets

Determined to raise the security standard of all Nigerian ports and jetties in line with the provisions of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has commenced the stocktaking of all the nation’s coastal assets. This is to enable it establish the number, location and nature of operations of all port facilities and jetties in the country.

This audit will help the designated authority, NIMASA, to capture and catalogue all ports and berthing facilities as well as verify their ISPS Code compliance status, said Ziakede Akpobolokemi, director general of the agency, in a media conference.

According to him, NIMASA recently concluded the Verification Inspection Exercises (VIE) on all shore-based port facilities in the country and the report will form the basis for re-certification of the operators in line with ISPS Code requirements. “All the port facilities owners that refused to comply with the provisions of ISPS will not be recertified and in extreme cases, attract added punitive action,” he warned.

He further noted that many operators lack the understanding of the ISPS Code, its relevance and application as captured in the US diplomatic note sent to Nigeria after the inspection of Nigerian port facilities by US Coast Guard.

“To address this, policies and measures are being put in place to ensure more training and capacity building among not just security personnel but all personnel in the maritime sector,” the NIMASA boss said.

“Security companies that provide guard force personnel to companies operating in the maritime domain are also required to provide ISPS Code training for their personnel, who are also the custodians of ISPS protocol. These security companies as well as vendors and infrastructure service providers in the maritime sector are undergoing registration with the DA in order to ensure better regulation and to streamline their activities in maritime security.”

The DG assured that the agency would thenceforth carry out a continuous year to year inspection of port facilities in order to meet the required ISPS Code security standards.

Ezekiel Bala Agaba, executive director, Maritime Safety and Shipping Development, disclosed that arrangement was on top gear with the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) to create strict monitoring of entry and exit into all Nigerian port facilities.

He added that the authority was perfecting plans to install electronic access systems (EAS) in all the ports to ensure that people that did not have business at the port would not have access into the port.

The agency has also inaugurated a committee to help oversee the mandate. This committee has members from NIMASA, the Nigerian Navy, NPA, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Nigeria Police, State Security Service (SSS), Customs and Immigrations, among others.