Maritime Safety Agency Deepens Partnership With Navy On Hydrography, Wreck Removal

The Nigerian Navy has increased collaboration with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in the area of hydrography to sustain improved safety of navigation and wreck removal in the nation’s waters.

The flag officer commanding Western Naval Command (FOC-WNC), Rear Admiral Abdullahi Mustapha, made this call during a familiarisation visit to NIMASA.

The FOC who acknowledged the gains recorded from NIMASA’s longstanding partnership with the Nigerian Navy noted that the partnership NIMASA has maintained with the Nigerian Navy has culminated in the current tranquillity being witnessed within the Nigerian maritime domain.

The FOC West further stated that enhanced information sharing through the integration of NIMASA’s C4i Centre with the Navy’s Falcon Eye system would significantly improve security within the nation’s maritime domain.

“I would like to use this opportunity to commend NIMASA for providing and maintaining platforms under the Deep Blue Project, which the Nigerian Navy operates. This has greatly enhanced our operations,” Rear Admiral Mustapha stated.

He added that the two newly acquired hydrographic vessels, with the capability to identify the exact location and size of wrecks, would significantly enhance NIMASA’s operations in wreck removal.

According to him, “Utilising advanced vessels such as NNS Lana and NNS Ochuzor has undoubtedly contributed to improved safety standards within the maritime sector. It is therefore important that we jointly sustain these standards through deeper collaboration with NIMASA.”

In his response, the director general of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, described the improved security in Nigeria’s territorial waters as the backbone of President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s economic diversification policy.

According to him, “the maritime sector is at the forefront of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda as well as the federal government’s economic diversification policy and it is our shared obligation (NIMASA and the Navy) to deliver a safe and secure maritime space for maritime activities to thrive. Accordingly, achieving optimum security levels in our maritime area is the backbone of these aims and is what gives shipping companies the confidence to invest in the sector”.

The NIMASA DG also acknowledged the support of the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, noting that his unwavering commitment to the development of the Blue Economy sector has continued to yield results.