The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), on Thursday, moved to further reduce vessel-turn-around time at the nation’s ports of Apapa and Tin-Can with the commissioning of the Apapa and Tin-Can Ports Control Towers.
Speaking during the commissioning exercise, the managing director, Mohammed Bello-Koko, explained that the newly renovated Control towers will improve Vessel Traffic Management, Navigation Assistance, Advance Visibility, Safety and Security, Emergency Response, Communication, Resource Management and Disaster Risk Mitigation amongst others.
According to the NPA boss, the control tower would enhance capacity to collate, organise and distribute vessel data with relevant stakeholders in a timely and consistent format.
He said, “The commissioning of control tower signposts our unwavering commitment towards improving operational efficiency through aggressive infrastructure and equipment renewal. The multiplicity of functions such as Vessel Traffic Management, Navigation Assistance, Advance Visibility, Safety and Security, Emergency Response, Communication, Resource Management and Disaster Risk Mitigation amongst other crucial functions which a control tower enables are the reasons why we placed the equipping of this facility on top priority as management team.”
“As most of us are aware, safety and security constitute critical operational preconditions necessary for the actualisation of our strategic intent of becoming the maritime logistics hub for sustainable port services in Africa, which is why we placed high priority on putting in place a modern control tower of this nature in order enhance our domain awareness capability. Given the decrepit and non-functional state we met this facility, the decision to invest so much towards making it the state-of-the-art and well equipped edifice was made taking cognizance of the need to equip our highly cherished and well trained marine talents with the right tools and comfort required to deliver efficient services to our stakeholders.”
The NPA boss further stated that the authority resolved to continually equip and re-equip the facility while it would continue training and re-training its users to be best-in-class.
“Sustainably providing efficient port service in safe, secure, and customer friendly environment requires that we ensure and assure that we are up to date in terms of skill and equipment, and I will like to assure that beyond this commissioning today, we are resolved to continually equip and re-equip this facility whilst training and re-training its users to be best-in-class. It would be pertinent to mention that we are in partnership with the Nigerian Navy, to have our signal stations rehabilitated, re-equipped and located near the naval base for improved communication.”
“Also, we are in partnership with NLNG Ship Management Limited to provide VTS that will ensure improved operational efficiency. In keeping with our resolve to deepen synergy with sister agencies, we have constructed a building facility to provide operational comfort for Government Agencies that operate within the Port for both Tin-Can and Apapa.
“Undoubtedly, a lot of hard work was put into making this project a reality, so I want to commend the Marine & Operations Directorate, Engineering, Training, Facilities Management and all other departments who partnered with them to actualize this remarkable feat.
“The commissioning of this communication and data-generating facility which enhances our capacity to collate, organize and distribute vessel data with relevant stakeholders in a consistent format is timely, as it is coming at a time when the series of efforts geared towards having a Port Community System (PCS) necessary to make our ports more competitive and thus attractive of greater vessel traffic are beginning to crystallise.
The executive director, Marine and Operation, NPA, Onari Brown, who applauded the renovation of the building, however, warned that it shouldn’t be turned into a residential building.
According to him, the building is strictly a workplace, saying it shouldn’t be turned into personal or private use.
“Harbor master and signal men, this is not a residential building. It is for work and it’s mainly for those on duty and those who work here. This shouldn’t be used for personal or private use,” Brown warned.
