The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has announced enhanced enforcement of statutory requirements governing indigenous participation in Nigeria’s cabotage trade and maritime activities.
The agency said the move was aimed at strengthening compliance with laws designed to promote Nigerian ownership, employment and capacity development in the maritime sector.
The disclosure was contained in a Marine Notice issued by NIMASA under its statutory mandate to implement relevant maritime laws, including the NIMASA Act 2007, the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act 2003, as well as applicable cabotage regulations and implementation guidelines.
Deputy Director and Head of Public Relations at NIMASA, Osagie Edward, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.
Under the enhanced enforcement regime, NIMASA said all persons and entities requiring vessels for cabotage operations must use vessels that comply with applicable Nigerian ownership, registration, manning and construction requirements.
The vessels must also be duly registered in the Special Register for Vessels and Ship Owning Companies Engaged in Cabotage.
The agency further directed vessels, owners, operators, charterers, managers and other stakeholders involved in cabotage activities to maintain valid statutory certificates, licences, registrations and other required documentation.
NIMASA said cabotage vessels must, where applicable, be wholly owned by Nigerian citizens, duly registered in the relevant Special Register, manned by Nigerian citizens and built in Nigeria.
It, however, noted that deployment of vessels that do not meet the requirements could only be considered where the requisite Nigerian capacity was unavailable and the relevant statutory conditions had been established and verified by NIMASA.
The agency said it would continue to monitor compliance with the Cabotage Act, regulations and applicable guidelines to strengthen maritime governance and ensure that employment opportunities reserved for Nigerians were not outsourced.
NIMASA said the Marine Notice takes immediate effect and reinforces its commitment to promoting indigenous participation in local and international shipping, developing local maritime capacity and ensuring that cabotage operations contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s maritime and economic development.
