By Joshua Yousouph
Shipping Position Daily investigations have uncovered that, 13 other vessels are currently caught in the web of disagreements between the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and Global West Vessel Specialists Limited in a botched Public Private Partnership (PPP) deal.
The discovery comes on the heels of two NIMASA/Global West ships that sank recently in Lagos.
There are deep fears about the state of the remaining boats that were also once used by NIMASA and Global West during the partnership between the duo, to stem the tide of maritime crimes on Nigerian waters, especially in the Niger Delta and Lagos.
Our findings have also revealed that the 13 distressed ships are currently abandoned in Lagos, and at NIMASA’s operational bases in Bonny (Rivers), Warri (Delta) and Yenagoa (Bayelsa).
Recall that two vessels namely; MV WAO Ethiope and NIMASA Barugu sank recently in Lagos, despite calls and letters written to the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency by Global West Vessel Limited.
According to documents obtained exclusively by our correspondent, Global West had written to NIMASA about the state and fate of all the boats that were used under the NIMASA/ Global West PPP arrangement, which ended in 20515.
Our correspondent confirmed last week that, apart from the two boats that sank, there are two others that are also distressed and may also sink soon. They are; NIMASA Oglakrigha and NIMASA Lagos.
Digging further, our correspondent uncovered in a document signed by the Managing Director of Global West Vessel Specialist Limited (GWVSL) Mr. Winfred Itima, that the ‘Public Private Partnership vessels’ have been laid-up since 2015, because of “non-incentive payment by NIMASA to the contractors. According to the letter, the contractors have been maintaining and crewing the vessels since 2016”.
Apart from the vessels in Lagos, Shipping Position Daily also confirmed the identity of the distressed vessels in other states. They are: MPS II, NIMASA Amaseikumor, NIMASA Oweikenghan, NIMASA Jonathan and NIMASA Burutu. These are at NIMASA Bonny base.
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Three others are currently with the Nigerian Navy at the Warri base. They are: NIMASA Bini-Ebi, NIMASA Port Harcourt, and NIMASA Warri.
Similarly, a vessel named NIMASA Molormorbo-Ere is at Yenegoa JTF. Asides these vessels, there are other two Special Fitted Marpol Vessels supplied by JMEG in Lagos which are also in distress.
Apparently, in a bid to safe the remaining ships from the fate that befell the two that sank in Lagos recently, Global West in an SOS to NIMASA raised alarm in a letter sighted by Shipping Position Daily last week.
“Now the condition of the vessels is beyond just maintaining, they need major dry-docking which fund the contractors are lacking without urgent attention many of this vessels will be another wreck in our waters. If no action is taken soon, we will have no other option but to disembark our crew from the vessels due to safety reasons. We respectfully appeal to NIMASA to note the foregoing and intervene urgently, especially the invaluable impact these vessels are to our maritime security and to the economy of the country” the letter reads.
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