Dakuku Peterside, director-general, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), said on Wednesday in the Netherlands that the agency would be delivering Africa’s fifth largest floating dockyard in 2017.
Peterside, who was on project evaluation and inspection meeting with officials of Damen Shipyards and NIRDA in Amsterdam, Netherlands, said modular floating dockyard had the capacity to boost ship repair and also transform Nigeria’s maritime industry by generating wealth through service delivery to shipping companies and creating employment for Nigerians.
According to a statement signed by Lami Tumaka, head, public relations uUnit of NIMASA, Peterside was accompanied by members of the National Assembly Committees on oversight function.
Currently, Peterside observed that over 90 percent of vessels operating in Nigeria carry out their dry docking services overseas exporting the much needed foreign exchange at great cost to the country, and this result to capital flight and huge job loss.
Harm Blaauw, regional director for Africa in Damen, said the company is proud to handle this historic project, which he described as the most modern, and high tech floating dock ever built in recent times and it has the capacity to dry dock hundreds of vessels per annum.
Sabi Bar Noy, chairman of NIRDA, who said that building the floating dock is a right decision, added that the established positive business case supports the initiative. He promised that NIRDA and its technical partner, Damen will fast track the construction and delivery of the floating dock by next year as agreed.
Ahmed Yerima, who led some members of the Senate Committee on Marine Transport to Netherlands, expressed satisfaction with the quality of work done on the modular floating dock with a promise that the National Assembly by way of appropriation will assist NIMASA achieve its early completion.
Similarly, Mohammed Umaru Bago, chairman of the House Committee of Maritime Safety, Education and Administration said the committee looks forward to early delivery of the dockyard in Nigeria.
The modular floating dockyard measuring 125m by 35m with 3 inbuilt cranes, transformers and a number of ancillary facilities is being built by one of the world’s largest ship building firms, Damen of Netherlands and their partners NIRDA.
NIMASA initiated the project in 2013 but work started in 2014 before it was stagnated. The current leadership of NIMASA is revisiting the project with renewed vigor given the impact it will have on the industry. The project is expected to be delivered next year to Nigeria.
AMAKA ANAGOR-EWUZIE
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
