The Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transporters Senior Staff Association has raised an alarm over the influx of Chinese seafarers at the Dangote refinery project in Lekki, Lagos, saying that the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has refused to act on the anomaly since it was reported to the agency.
The total work force on the alleged vessel was 500 personnel approximately and the duration of the contract is more than two years.
Management and owners of the vessel are COOEC China. The Management Company for the vessel is Anglo Eastern Ship
The association also raised an alarm that another vessel with an all-Bahamas crew has berth at Niger Dock at the Snake Island at the Tin Can Island port with all-foreigners crew.
A letter which was written to NIMASA by the union dated 18th December, 2018 was sighted by Shipping Position Daily on Monday, was tagged "Influx of Chinese Seafarers into the Nigeria Maritime Industry" and signed by Secretary General of the Merchant Navy union, Comrade Julius Eforkpo.
Speaking with journalists on the issue, Eforkpo alleged that the Chinese flagged anchor handling and crew vessel at the Dangote Refinery decided to lay-off all Nigerian crew on the vessel and employed Chinese crew.
The letter written by the union to NIMASA reads in part:"Our attention has been drawn to the above subject matter in contravention of the Cabotage Act, 2003. Information at our disposal reveals that the Dangote Refinery Project at Lekki, Lagos shall be deploying (2) two AHTS and lay barge for its use. The vessels will be used for installation of Pipelines, SBM and etc"
"The AHTS have minimum crew compliment of 22 each and the Lay Barge Is to carry 200 staff strength onboard. With their back to back, the total work force would be 500 personnel approximately and the duration of the contract is 2 years plus"
"All Nigerians onboard the HYSYc698 were sacked as we are also informed that the vessel HYSY698 managers said they do not need any Nigerian to work with them"
"The vessel was detained by NIMASA for failing to comply with the manning requirement of the Cabotage law and was later released after 3days which is not acceptable. Please, we are open for meeting"
"The vessels are already at the worksite to commence Operation soon. Like wild fire In the harmattan, which can do nobody any good, we are informed that the owners and Agents of the vessels refuse to work with Nigerians onboard, rather they already have full crew of Chinese Seafarers from the Master of the vessels to the least man onboard" the letter read.
Comrade Eforkpo alleged that after the letter was written to NIMASA to address the challenge, the agency has not done anything visible and the Chinese seafarers have continued to work on the vessel.
He said "today we got another information that another vessel crewed by Bahamans has arrived at Nigerdock, we are in doubt as to how NIMASA is implementing the Cabotage Act"
"Nigeria has qualified seafarers that can occupy these positions" he insisted.
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