Maritime
Navy sets up water posts to stop illegal movements of Petroleum products says save Nigeria economy about N15bn
THE outgoing Flag Officer, Central Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral Obinwanne Egbuchulam, has said the command denied crude oil thieves and operators of illegal refineries crude/petroleum products worth over N10bn. Egbuchulam, who disclosed this on the ocassion of the farewell ceremony held in his honour at Camp Porbeni, headquarters of the command in Yenagoa commended the officers and ratings for the successes recorded. Meanwhile the Navy has in the move to stop illegally shipment of refined petroleum products on waterways in Rivers State sets up new posts under its Operation River Dominance. NNS which intensified it operations in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of the state following the backing of the chairman of the LGA, Rowland Sekibo, said its operations was yielding positive results. This was happening as Sekibo, alongside his taskforce on illegal bunkering and security men destroyed seven artisanal refineries within the LGA.
Speaking during the operation at Abise creeks, the Base Operation Officer, NNS Pathfinder, Commander Umaru Abubakar, noted that OP River Dominance was conducted by the tactical riverine assault squadron of the base. He said that the operation has recorded more gains, adding that they have destroyed many bunkering sites in the LGA. Abubakar said “As you can see, we are gaining grounds as we are dismantling more illegal refining sites and the other simultaneous operations we are conducting, we have established riverine command post, and waterborne guard post within the waterways. The establishment of these posts has provided deterrence by denial, which means, it has denied freedom of action to the economic saboteurs by stopping from moving the illegal products. What is most pleasing, particularly today, or during the conduct of this is the level of synergy and cohesion by all participating agencies. It is my belief that that is the key enabler towards that attainment of our collective objective of fighting economic saboteurs in the state”.
The outgoing Flag officer Egbuchulam who spent 10 months and seventeen days as the CNC FOC said despite the considerable challenges, the command pursued the key priorities of the Chief of the Naval Staff’s Strategic Guidance and sustained its presence at the sea to secure the maritime environment for national prosperity. He said, “The Central Naval Command made many arrests of vessels and persons involved in piracy, oil pipeline vandalism, and crude oil theft. One recent remarkable arrest by the command was of MT TIS IV on December 6, 2021 with about 700,000 litres of stolen crude and a 17 -man crew, excluding 5 accomplices Also, the command denied crude oil thieves and operators of illegal refineries crude/petroleum products worth over N15billion.” He added that under his watch, “the command sustained clearance operations to deny pirates a foothold ashore. We also supported and motivated the personnel, but demanded a right attitude and a high standard of discipline from everyone just as we also made a priority collaboration with sister services/agencies and other stakeholders in the command’s area of responsibility, Egbuchulam noted.
He congratulated the incoming FOC, Rear Admiral Idi Abbas, who according to him, is familiar with terrain and has the competence to assume the mantle of leadership of the command and enjoined the officers and men to accord him the support and cooperation to take the central naval command to greater heights. In his response, the new FOC, Rear Admiral Idi Abbas, promised to sustain the fight against illegal oil bunkering, oil theft and other maritime crimes in the Niger Delta region. Abbas said: ” I have been part of the team so it is going to be a seamless transition. Whatever happened in the past I am part of it and will build on that. “We have been in the fore front of the fight and we are not going to stop. I’m only going to build on where my predecessor left in the fight against illegal bunkering and illegal refinery. We are going to continue the fight with new vigor.” He used the opportunity to warn oil thieves to stay clear of the command’s area of responsibility or have themselves to blame.
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has expressed confidence that the Maritime Labour E-Platform would boost the sector’s competitiveness as it hosted a workshop to sensitize users of the portal through practical demonstrations and interactive sessions. Held in Lagos, the workshop practicalized the process of registering, verifying and issuing identity cards to seafarers and dockworkers via the NIMASA portal (@nimasa.gov.ng). Practical support measures, including training, cybersecurity and planning a phased rollout to ensure smooth adoption, were also discussed.
Speaking at the event, the NIMASA Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr. Jibril Abba stressed the importance of the digital platform to achieving global competitiveness, stating that “our digital transformation is underway. This year we launched the Maritime Labour E-Platform, building on our 2022 dockworkers registration success.
It is a modern, integrated system for registering and verifying seafarers, dockworkers, employers, and other stakeholders.” Represented by the Director, Maritime Labour Services Department, Mr. Ibrahim Umar Sidi, the Executive Director further noted that “by centralizing registration and issuing secure biometric ID cards, it cuts paperwork, speeds up processing, and gives us reliable real-time data. This helps us meet our obligations under the Maritime Labour Convention and boosts Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global Blue Economy.”
He also emphasized that the actualization of the digital platform was in line with the Agency’s statutory obligations, stating that, “This initiative directly fulfils our mandate under Section 27(1)(a) of the NIMASA Act 2007, which charges us with the duty to document and maintain a register of every maritime worker and operator. It also aligns with our obligations under the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006, often called the “Seafarers’ Bill of Rights for promoting fair working conditions, health protections, and social security.
In its efforts to build a smarter, more transparent, and efficient maritime sector, the Federal Government launched the Maritime Labour E-Platform, during an event in June marking the 2025 Day of the Seafarer in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The platform, which is a digital solution designed to revolutionize the governance of maritime labour in Nigeria, was described by the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola at the time as “a transformative tool for labour administration”.
Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola has noted that effective Port State Control (PSC) is one of the most potent tools of ensuring global safety and maintenance of environmental standards in shipping.
Dr. Mobereola who said this at a 5-day Regional Train the Trainer Workshop on Port State Control (PSC) for Member States of the Abuja Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with the support of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), further emphasized that the quality of the professionals who implement PSC determines its overall success. Represented by the Executive Director, Operations, Engr. Fatai Taiye Adeyemi, the DG described the workshop as a reflection of Africa’s shared commitment to safer, cleaner, and more efficient shipping.
“Your presence here demonstrates our collective resolve to strengthen efficient maritime governance, improve safety standards, and enhance environmental protection across West and Central Africa,” he said. The DG commended the IMO, the Abuja MoU Secretariat, and all technical partners for their continued support towards capacity-building, regional cooperation, and the promotion of maritime safety in Africa.
Delivering a goodwill message, the representative of the IMO, Captain Ahmed Sewelam, reaffirmed the Organization’s unwavering commitment to supporting Member States through its technical cooperation programme to strengthen effective and harmonized Port State Control regimes globally. “Effective regional cooperation and harmonized PSC practices are essential to eliminate substandard shipping and promote consistency across the region,” Captain Sewelam said. He said that the workshop provides a unique platform for delegates to strengthen their collective capacity as Port States, while discussing key elements such as inspection procedures, reporting, and strategies for improved performance noting that “together, we can strengthen Port State Control implementation and advance maritime safety and sustainability in the region”.
On his part, the Secretary General of the Abuja MoU, Captain Sunday Umoren, reiterated that capacity building remains a top priority of the Abuja MoU. He noted that effective Flag State control directly influences the quality of Port State Control operations, emphasizing the importance of strong national systems. “We must continue to build capacity, strengthen cooperation, and share experiences to ensure that our region maintains high standards of maritime safety and compliance,” he said.
The Train-the-Trainer Workshop on Port State Control under the Abuja MoU represents another milestone in NIMASA’s ongoing efforts to strengthen maritime safety, promote environmental protection, and consolidate Nigeria’s leadership role in advancing regional maritime development. The workshop, which is being held in Lagos, has brought together delegates from 22 countries across West and Central Africa to deepen capacity, harmonize standards, and strengthen maritime safety oversight across the region.
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) announced on Monday that about 20 ships laden with food items, petroleum products, and other goods are expected to arrive at Apapa and Tin-Can Island ports in Lagos. In its shipping position for Monday, the authority disclosed that the ships will arrive in Lagos from November 10 to 12.
According to the NPA, out of the 20 expected ships, four contain crude oil, four contain petrol, three others are to arrive with aviation fuel, while the remaining nine ships are to arrive with diesel, gas oil, and different products.
The NPA also hinted that three ships had arrived at the ports and were waiting to berth with general cargo and bulk urea. Meanwhile, it says that 11 ships are currently at the ports discharging general cargoes, bulk wheat, bulk sugar, containers, and bulk gas. NAN
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