By Uzor Odigbo
A Group known as the Association of Marine Engineers and Surveyors (AMES) has raised the alarm over reckless abandonment of the floating dry dock in possession of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety (NIMASA) , saying the N50billion asset has no insurance cover.
AMES also disclosed that the floating dry dock is no longer seaworthy at the moment and may likely become a derelict if the federal government allows it to rot away without proper maintenance.
A floating Drydock is one out of the five types of drydock used for ship repairs. It is a submersible platform that is specifically designed and used to repair vessels.
The Floating drydock named ” MFDP NIMASA” was constructed in 2016 by Damen Shipyard
Speaking at the press briefing in Lagos on Tuesday, President of the maritime professional body, Engineer,Adeyinka Okunola noted that the facility which was built to Lloyd’s Register’s Class has not been surveyed since its delivery to Nigeria in 2018.
Going by the implications and the ripple effects of the asset, Okunola reiterated that the drydock which worth over 50billion without insurance cover is a threat to national asset.
Okunola revealed that the class of floating dock has been withdrawn , saying that for obvious reasons the equipment is becoming a derelict
According to him, the 2016 constructed drydock is already due for renewal class survey, but added that management of NIMASA under the leadership of Bashir Jamoh has failed to carry out class renewal.
Apparently dissatisfied with the current management poor relationship with maritime stakeholders, the President maintained that the association had put in place measures to engage, suggest and advice the Director General of NIMASA on the importance of the drydock but the process was scuttled for unknown reasons despite several attempts to discuss the future of the national asset.
While making recommendations to the government as a professional body, the President reiterated that findings also revealed that a whooping $30,000 is expended to the Nigerian Navy on the facility daily berthing charges, pointing out the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) would be a better option where the vessel can berth.
He lamented that” Why would NIMASA choose Naval Dockyard and not NPA, a sister agency,which already has a dedicated berth for a floating dry dock? In the opinion of AMES, the mooring of the floating dock (MFDP NIMASA) at the naval dockyard is an avoidable waste in terms of not only humongous expense but safety of the floating dry dock itself, and the potential environmental pollution that may occur.
The AMES boss also called on management of the Nigerian Ports Authority NPA and NIMASA to synergize and commission the MFDP NIMASA into operations adding that authority has a fit-for-purpose berth and back up yard with workshop facilities at Apapa ,Lagos which is currently lying fallow.
“NIMASA having already procured the Floating drydock should take advantage of this already existing berth facility of NPA to put the the MSDP NIMASA to immediate use.
“AMES hereby wishes to draw the attention of the Federal Government to the foregoing and request for an urgent directive to the Federal Ministry of Transportation to ensure that the Floating drydock be handed over to a marine engineering company that specialises in ship repairs and maintenance to operate it.”
Similarly, 2nd Vice President of the Association, Engineer Emmanuel Ilori called on government to ensure that the equipment is commission for optimal utilisation saying the case of the floating dry dock might go the same way that led to NPA drydock which has been abandoned