As you know, we have been agitating for the national fleet for a very long time. If we have it, it will be beneficial to our seafarers in terms of creating jobs. It will also make the international community reckon more with our maritime sector. The Maritime academy will also benefit from the national fleet as it was being done during the NNSL. We need it more than anything. But when the government makes policies, we do not know the one that is most important to them. If they feel the aviation sector is their priority, when another government comes, we don’t know what their priority would be. We hope the maritime sector will one day be given priority.
The NNSL collapsed because we did not follow the rules, which are also applicable in the Aviation sector. There are Codes guiding the owner, operator and crew of the Ship or Airline to make sure that they do the right thing. I don’t know if the aviation sector has something like the CVFF. However, Nigeria cannot just bring out money from nowhere to invest in the National Fleet or Carrier. The money Nigeria is having now is enough to float shipping companies but unfortunately no one has the collateral they are demanding for the disbursement of the CVFF. Very soon the money might disappear. Credible people that can manage the company should be sourced. You can even employ foreigners to help us manage the vessel for three or four years. By that time, we might have stabilized.
Our position has always been that we desire and deserve a national fleet. This is because it has a multiplier effect on our economy. If as the giant of Africa, we leave the industry to the private sector, saying the government has no business in doing business. We totally disagree with that because we have the manpower and know-how to charter and acquire ships and to run a shipping company. We have done it before. There is no reason why we cannot do it again. The ship acquisition fund was meant for that purpose which has been replaced by the CVFF. However we want to do it, Nigeria must have a national fleet.
Actually, we need a national fleet, that is the pride of a nation. We say we are the Big brother of Africa and we don’t have a national fleet whereas other smaller countries still have their national fleet. We need it and it will be of academic advantage. In fact, having a national fleet has lots of advantages and it is the pride of the nation. Like we have in the aviation sector now, although that one is mainly passengers but we must also have our own as a pride to the nation.
The National fleet is very intricate at the moment. Intricate in the sense that we need harmony within our trading environment. Once we have harmony with all stakeholders, shipping companies and terminal operators. It is a good idea, but it should be something profitable for us. The Nigerian government is bent on getting the National fleet, but it should not just be the name but the ability to succeed. If we have a National fleet, it will be beneficial to us because our seafarers will have a place to work and the carriage of our exports will be made easy to reduce cost for shippers.
Also we don’t know the kind of personnel that will manage the fleet they want to purchase. We are not yet being a part of the West African Continental trade and we need to be a part of it. Without our own cargo, the fleet will not function well just as it happened with the National Shipping Line. The government has to look at all of these before they get involved in the National fleet.
We definitely need a National Carrier. The experience we had from the defunct NNSL shouldn’t be a hindrance to harnessing the opportunities that comes with owning a National line, rather it should be a guideline on how to get it right this time. We have grown over the years in the maritime sector in terms of management, maturity, and participation. The general overview of the sector has improved tremendously. All we need to do is to design an autonomous management system with less government interference but adequate checks and balance. Set the goals of the project and allow the professionals to decide the best way to achieve that goal. We can learn from the Shipping Corporation of India.
When you say National fleet, every standard vessel that is owned by Nigerians and flies the Nigerian flag is part of the national fleet. Except we are waiting for the government to float a National Shipping company. What we should be talking about is how do we build our shipping capacity to make sure that Nigerians are able to have a ship that undertakes both local and international trade. We are still scratching the surface; that is why we are not talking about international trade. What will boost our national fleet is for individual Nigerian shipowners to have healthy vessels that will be engaged fully, seaworthy and well-maintained. All the vessels flying the Nigerian flag will be the vessels that will be recalled when there is war.
It is good we have a national carrier, but the policy and implementation of the national carrier should not go like the former NNSL. So, if there would be a national carrier, it should be saddled with the professionals that can run the national carrier. But if the government is fully involved with any private partnership like the NNSL was run. There should be some policies that will benefit and bring profit to the government, active shipowners and enhance maritime development. If they can run it like how every other carrier is being run worldwide, I think it would be a good thing.
Follow us on Facebook/ twitter
