Victor EzejaNIGERIAN Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has announced commencement of electronic verification of new Ship Registry Certificates.
The Agency had in July, introduced the issuance of new certificates of ship registration thereby simultaneously phasing out the old permits in a bid to ensure international standard of Ship Registry.
The new Ship Registry Certificates now have Quick Response Codes (QR Codes) embedded in them to enable Ship-owners, Stakeholders and the Agency’s Enforcement officers to verify the validity of the certificates.
Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh in a statement said the innovation was to ensure security of shipping documents.
Jamoh said, “The Agency has adopted technology to guarantee more security for our documents and give stakeholders and the international shipping community greater confidence in our services.”
Registrar of Ships, Mrs Nneka Obiayor, explained that security and business facilitation were the chief considerations in the introduction of the electronic verification of new Ship Registry Certificates.
Obiayor said, “Safety and security of ships as well as ease of doing business are of uppermost priority in the design and implementation of the electronic verification of our newly-introduced Ship Registry Certificates.
“With a blend of technology and creativity, we have introduced new features intended to make our ship registration certificates more secure and easier to process.”
The agency also said it has commenced enforcement of full compliance with the marine environment protection statutory requirements and documentation on Nigerian and foreign flagged vessels operating within the country’s maritime domain.
All ship-owners and operators are now required by law to update their vessel documentations, which include all permits or exemptions, levies, record books and plan approvals. This the agency said has also began a pre-condition for further processing of any vessel or company requests with the Agency.
The new decision is pursuant to the Agency’s statutory mandate to implement all provisions applicable to marine environment protection and documentation as enshrined in the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), 1973; the Merchant Shipping Act, 2007; and the NIMASA Act 2007.
Jamoh, said effective application of environmental protection regulations in the maritime domain was crucial to the country’s quest for economic development.
He emphasized the Agency’s interest in bringing relevant stakeholders on board to facilitate an efficient certification system and marine environment protection regime.
He explained that “a well protected marine environment, he continued, “Guarantees investors’ confidence, which is a basic necessity for the maximization and optimization of our rich maritime endowments. This touches directly on the country’s economic diversification and sustainable development drive.
“We are deliberate, methodical, and strategic in the enforcement of the environmental protection requirements as they relate to our own laws and international regulations that we accede to.
“We are enthroning a sound and sustainable marine environment protection system that serves the interests of both the country and the operators. And necessary steps have been taken to ensure we have stakeholders on the same page.”
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
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